ArmInfo.After a long silence, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan, remembered the Armenian prisoners detained in Baku and issued a statement. In it, in particular, it is noted that within the scope of her mandate, the human rights defender continues to monitor issues related to the rights of all ethnic Armenians unlawfully deprived of liberty in Azerbaijan.
"All processes in Baku related to them are taking place in gross violations of universal principles and values of human rights, as well as international legal standards," the statement says. The Human Rights Watch office also recalled that insults containing hatred and hostility directed at these individuals, calls to kill Armenians, incitement to violence, and a deep-rooted hatred towards Armenians continue to be widely disseminated on media sphere and social platforms. "It is evident that under the conditions of state- sponsored policy of Armenophobia ethnic hatred and the violation of the presumption of innocence, the alleged "trials" taking place in Baku contradict the requirements of the right to a fair trial and cannot be considered as being conducted by a fair and impartial court. Various human rights defenders, lawyers, and reputable international actors have raised concern about the illegality of this process," Manasyan said.
The human rights defender also mentioned that Armenians under criminal prosecution are deprived of procedural guarantees that are integral to the right to a fair trial, including the right to effective defense by a lawyer of their choice and the assistance of an interpreter.