Human rights activist: The issue of releasing Armenian prisoners of war is being considered within the framework of legal coercion due to the lack of results in the political arena

ArmInfo. In the absence of political progress, the issue of releasing Armenian prisoners of war is being considered through legal enforcement mechanisms. Siranush Sahakyan, a human rights activist and representative of Armenian prisoners at the ECHR, stated this at a press conference in Yerevan on September 4.

She reported that the indictment and verdict for philanthropist and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan have already been published on the Free Armenian Prisoners page. In this regard, Sahakyan presented several of the charges against Vardanyan. "A review of the verdict revealed that numerous human rights violations occurred, the entire trial was a farce, and its results were illegitimate. And, of course, we have presented all these facts to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)." Ruben Vardanyan's sentence is exemplary, as it violates not only legal and moral norms, but also the limits of common sense. The facts and so-called evidence presented there, and the conclusions drawn from them, are beyond the realm of reason," the human rights activist emphasized. Sahakyan explained that the verdict states that "on November 16, 2021, the Armenian Armed Forces attacked Azerbaijan and the counterattack resulted in numerous casualties." As evidence, according to the human rights activist, the victim was presented in court, stating that he suffered multiple injuries as a result of the attack. "And Vardanyan is currently facing criminal charges for this incident. Let me remind you that Ruben Vardanyan assumed the post of Artsakh State Minister on November 4, 2022, meaning he had no connection to these events." "I would also like to point out that there are international decisions regarding the events of November 16, 2021, and nowhere is it recorded that the Armenian side initiated the attack," Sahakyan noted.

Furthermore, as the representative of the Armenian prisoners' interests at the ECHR noted, Vardanyan was also charged for his charitable activities and involvement in social projects. "The court also qualified these incidents as crimes. For example, the reconstruction of schools and kindergartens, the financing of a large wedding in Artsakh. Certain incidents are even related to Vardanyan's activities within the framework of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, which was also qualified as criminal activity. Moreover, the Aurora Prize laureates were also qualified as members of a criminal organization." "Artsakh and all its structures were classified as illegal armed formations, and any involvement with the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was considered participation in a criminal organization," the human rights activist continued.

According to Sahakyan, Azerbaijan also carried out a strange death toll, stating that more than 18,000 residents were killed in the Artsakh conflict. "And since it is noted that Vardanyan 'was a member of a criminal organization' in 2022, he bears responsibility for all deaths. Moreover, I note that Ruben Vardanyan's assumption of office was classified as a seizure of power, a violation of the Azerbaijani constitution," the human rights activist noted.

The lawyer noted that the charges included "illegal border crossing." And these, as Sahakyan noted, are just a few examples of what the verdict contains.

The human rights activist then touched on the mechanisms necessary for the release of Armenian prisoners of war. She explained that since the detention of these prisoners is directly linked to the conflict, its conclusion could become the mechanism for their release. "It is the end of the conflict that raises the issue of the obligation of immediate release. We know that the prisoner issue is used as an instrument of diplomatic pressure and as a workaround within the framework of conflict resolution. And of course, it is clear that in this sense, the losing side acts from a weak position, and therefore the political path may not yield any results for a long time," explained the representative of the Armenian prisoners' interests at the ECHR.

In this regard, she pointed out the importance of having an assessment from international judicial bodies. "All facts must be re-examined in these courts, historical events must be reflected objectively, and the court must, of course, look at developments from a human rights perspective. Challenging court cases in the ECHR pursues precisely this goal—to record them and, through legal coercion, secure the release of prisoners. Considering that the political arena has not yet demonstrated any results on this issue," Sahakyan concluded.

It should be noted that the exact number of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages held in Azerbaijani prisons is still unknown. Experts estimate there are several hundred. Today, Azerbaijani authorities confirm the presence of 19 Armenians. Among those held in Azerbaijani captivity, including eight former and current representatives of the military-political leadership of Artsakh. These are former presidents of Artsakh; Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, as well as Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, former Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army, General Levon Mnatsakanyan, General David Manukyan, and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

In February, the Baku puppet court sentenced Arayik Harutyunyan, Davit Babayan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Manukyan, and Levon Mnatsakanyan to life imprisonment on trumped-up charges, and Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, and Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison. The so-called court sentenced the remaining Artsakh residents to up to 15 years in prison.