ArmInfo. Today in Yerevan, in front of the UN office and the Armenian Foreign Ministry, a protest was held in connection with the start of trials against the military- political leadership of Artsakh and other Armenian hostages.
The first ombudsman of Armenia, human rights activist Larisa Alaverdyan, at a rally in front of the UN, demanded freedom for all those illegally detained in Baku and sharply criticized the World Organization for its connivance in this matter.
"Shame on the UN, you bear this shameful stigma, because after everything that happened, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev treats you with contempt, repeating that today it is not law but force that decides everything. We are not here to ask, but to demand freedom for all those illegally detained in Azerbaijan," Alaverdyan said.
The human rights activist drew attention to the fact that the fabricated trial is taking place not so much against individuals, but in the context of Azerbaijan's identification of the NKR national movement and the right of the Artsakh people to self-determination with terrorist actions. "We are obliged to raise our voice not for one or two days, but constantly. I am sure that what Azerbaijan is doing for political bargaining is happening with the encouragement of the UN. Show me, UN representatives, at least one decision that not only calls for action, but also clearly imposes sanctions," Alaverdyan demanded.
In this vein, she recalled the statement of the first chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on August 13, 2023, who described the blockade of Artsakh as genocidal actions. According to Alaverdyan, even then Ocampo warned that if the leadership of Azerbaijan was not convicted of its crimes, harsher measures would follow against the people of Artsakh.
Alaverdyan also called for an end to demands for the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, the only international structure mandated to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"The UN cannot pass by indifferently if a country does not fulfill its international obligations. And Armenia's obligations have been recognized by the well-known institution of the OSCE Minsk Group co- chairmanship. There is no other conflict in the world in which the majority of permanent members of the UN Security Council are involved. We demand that they stop voicing the need to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group. I demand that the UN take clear actions, which are provided for in the UN Charter; we do not demand anything other than the fulfillment of our obligations," Alaverdyan summarized.
In turn, another participant in the action, statesman and former Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the NKR Narine Aghabalyan stated that the most interested party in the protection of the Armenian hostages illegally held in Baku should be the Armenian government, and it should take appropriate steps.
"This is the argumentation of the whole world that if the Armenian government does nothing, then it is pointless to expect protection of justice from anyone else," the former minister emphasized.
Aghabalyan noted that in light of the start of the trial in Baku against the Armenian prisoners, it is extremely important to once again address the silent world, draw its attention to the criminal actions of Azerbaijan and try to prevent this next crime. In this vein, she recalled the recent statement by former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.
"Ruben Vardanyan's widely publicized statement showed how alarming the situation is and how shameful the situation is in the field of justice in Baku. It was a call for all of us, both for the Armenian public, to take appropriate steps, and for the international community in terms of protecting justice," the former minister added.
According to Aghabalyan, the statement of the former Artsakh State Minister confirms that another staged show will be held in Azerbaijan. "Ruben Vardanyan's statement became a call for all Armenians not to remain indifferent to such actions on the part of Azerbaijan and not to allow themselves to become more divided and vulnerable," Aghabalyan continued.
The former minister also recalled that the Artsakh parliament had also made a statement the day before, noting that today the NKR authorities have no other means of influence or pressure, but even so, they expressed their position.
Then, the protesters marched to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a letter in which they demanded that action be taken to return the prisoners held in Baku. The initiators of the protest also reported that similar letters would be sent to the embassies of interested countries.
Today, January 17, under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Agayev, the Baku Military Court will consider the "indictment" against the former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh. Among the accused are three former presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh: Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arayik Harutyunyan. Also appearing before the court will be former Foreign Minister David Babayan, Speaker of the Parliament David Ishkhanyan, former Commander of the Defense Army General Levon Mnatsakanyan, General David Manukyan and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.
The day before, Vardanyan made a statement in which he demanded that he and his lawyer be given the opportunity to fully prepare for the defense; that all violations and falsifications be eliminated; that the trial of him and all the other accused be made public. "I insist on a maximally open trial with the participation of international journalists and representatives of humanitarian organizations. I am convinced that only a real court, and not a trial, will help take a step forward on the difficult path of building new relations between our peoples," he emphasized. In conclusion, he demanded that his case be combined with the cases of other defendants. "More than 400 volumes of my case out of 422 are episodes of a common case. Separating my case into a separate proceeding is an artificial and unfounded decision," Vardanyan added.