Human Rights Groups Urge International Monitoring of Armenian Trials in Azerbaijan

A coalition of Armenian human rights groups urges international monitoring of trials for Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan, citing serious judicial concerns.

On Friday, a group of nineteen Armenian human rights organizations, along with various individual advocates, made a collective appeal to international bodies and foreign diplomats stationed in Azerbaijan.

They urged for monitoring of the ongoing trials of Armenian detainees in Baku.

Ongoing Trials and Charges

Currently, Baku is witnessing criminal trials against individuals who previously held positions in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

The defendants, all ethnic Armenians, face a litany of charges under Azerbaijan’s criminal code, including accusations of war crimes against the state and its people.

In their appeal, these civil society groups reached out to key officials from major international organizations, such as the UN Secretary-General and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Their message highlights profound concerns about the fairness of Azerbaijan’s judicial process, especially in cases involving Armenian citizens.

They raised alarm over various procedural issues, including a prevailing presumption of guilt devoid of solid evidence, limited access to case files that aren’t available in understandable languages, inadequate legal representation, and the absence of the right to a fair trial.

Inadequate Legal Assistance

The groups also pointed out that the legal assistance accessible in Azerbaijan lacks both independence and effectiveness.

Reports reveal that independent lawyers face harassment, significantly compromising their ability to fulfill their duties.

The situation surrounding prisoners of war (POWs) and detainees remains a significant flashpoint between Armenia and Azerbaijan, particularly following the 2020 Artsakh conflict.

A trilateral agreement, established on November 9, 2020, by Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan, outlines the principles for the return of POWs, hostages, and the bodies of deceased individuals.

Post-Conflict Issues

Evidence suggests that many Armenian servicemen and civilians were captured during Azerbaijan’s military operations in both September 2022 and the assault on Artsakh on September 19, 2023.

Since 2020, Azerbaijan has detained over 200 Armenians, comprising military personnel as well as civilians from Armenia and Artsakh.

Since the conclusion of the 2020 Artsakh war, Azerbaijan has held trials for more than thirty Armenians, predominantly military members, with several being sent back to Armenia after serving their sentences.

Human rights lawyer Anna Melikyan has pointed out that those who were repatriated consistently reported experiences of mistreatment and torture while detained in Baku, including abuse by medical personnel intended to extract confessions.

Additionally, both Armenia and Azerbaijan have filed opposing allegations of racial discrimination against each other at the International Court of Justice, further complicating the tense relationship between the two nations.

Source: Jurist