Armenia`s shares feelings of citizens related to trial of Armenian  prisoners of war in Baku

ArmInfo. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan shares the emotional feelings of citizens related to the trial of Armenian prisoners of war in Baku. He stated  this on March 1 in a conversation with journalists.

According to the Prime Minister, the demands put forward by  representatives of the public to resolve this problem are  understandable. "Both the country's Foreign Ministry and I have made  relevant statements that give a clear assessment of what is happening  in Baku. Active diplomatic work is being carried out in this  direction," the head of government said.

At the same time, he considered the demand of a number of public  figures and politicians to gather foreign ambassadors in Yerevan and  present them with the situation regarding the violence and torture  used in Azerbaijan against Armenian prisoners to be irrational.  "Well, we will gather all the ambassadors, and what, will the issue  be resolved? No, it will not. "Sentiments, sentiments, but we must be  guided by formulas in our work," Nikol Pashinyan said, adding that in  any case, steps are being taken to resolve this problem. The issue is  raised in negotiations, including with Azerbaijan. "These efforts are  often invisible, since there is no result yet," the RA Prime Minister  said.

The current and former military-political leadership of Artsakh was  taken hostage after the Azerbaijani aggression against the NKR on  September 19-20, 2023. For the second year in a row, in the face of  inaction by the international community, dozens of Armenian citizens  are illegally detained in Azerbaijan, subjected to cruel and  degrading treatment, torture. On January 17, under the chairmanship  of Judge Zeynal Agayev, the Baku Military Court began considering the  "indictment" against the former leaders of Nagorno- Karabakh on  fabricated criminal cases. Among the accused are three former  presidents of Nagorno- Karabakh Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and  Arayik Harutyunyan. Also appearing before the court are former  Foreign Minister David Babayan, Parliament Speaker David Ishkhanyan,  former Commander of the Defense Army General Levon Mnatsakanyan,  General David Manukyan and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

On January 16, Vardanyan made a statement in which he demanded that  he and his lawyer be given the opportunity to fully prepare for their  defense, that all violations and falsifications be eliminated, and  that his trial and that of all the other defendants 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, not a trial,  will help take a step forward on the difficult path of building new  relations between our peoples," he emphasized, demanding that his  case be combined with the cases of the other defendants. "More than  400 volumes of my case out of 422 are episodes of the general case.  Separating my case into a separate proceeding is an artificial and  unfounded decision," Vardanyan added.

After a number of Vardanyan's motions were rejected during the trial,  he went on a hunger strike on February 15. On February 26, Ruben  Vardanyan's international lawyer Jared Genser issued a statement in  which he reported a sharp deterioration in his client's health and  called on the international community to respond to the trial in  Baku. Footage from the last court hearing shows bruises and hematomas  on Vardanyan's face, indicating that force was used against the  philanthropist.