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Non-partisan MP Taguhi Tovmasyan has urged the international community to advocate for the open trial of Artsakh leaders in Azerbaijan and secure the release of Armenian prisoners. Her full statement is provided below.

"I have sent urgent letters to my international partners and several international organizations, drawing their attention to the trial of Armenian political and military leaders held in Baku on October 17 of this year, as well as the entirety of this legal process.

In Baku, ethnic Armenians—our compatriots—who remained in Artsakh until the last moment during the days of war are being condemned, humiliated, and tortured.

The trial was conducted at the Military Court of Baku, where 15 Armenians—Arkadi Ghukasyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, Davit Manukyan, Garik Martirosyan, Melikset Pashayan, Davit Alaverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Vasil Beglaryan, and Erik Ghazaryan—were charged with 2,548 counts. This is beyond madness; it is an outright atrocity.

I have presented the situation to my international partners and raised the alarm:

• Ahead of the trial, political prisoner and State Minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan stated that his lawyer and interpreter were forced to sign backdated documents, including falsified interrogation records for interrogations that never took place. He was not allowed access to the case materials in a language he could understand, was subjected to torture, denied water, and forbidden from using toilet paper, among other inhumane actions. He is not the first individual to complain about the appalling conditions of imprisonment in Azerbaijan.

• Ruben Vardanyan’s statement regarding issues with legal defense and falsified interrogation records is a grave violation that contradicts the fundamental principles of the right to a fair trial.

• I must emphasize that Azerbaijan, in violation of the Geneva Conventions, has refused to return Armenian prisoners of war after the conflict. The charges against the former leadership of Artsakh and other individuals are evidently political. Allegations of “terrorism” and “forming illegal armed groups” are politically motivated and violate norms of international humanitarian law.

In light of the above, I have asked my international partners to:

• Use their mandates to ensure that independent international observers are involved in these trials.v

• Advocate for the trials to be held transparently, in open court, and covered by the media.

• Call on the Azerbaijani authorities to cease the torture of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians

• Demand that Azerbaijan fulfills its international obligations and ensures the immediate repatriation of all Armenian captives."