Human rights activist: Azerbaijan needs these trials to resolve Artsakh issue from a legal standpoint

ArmInfo. The trials taking place  in Baku against Armenians are necessary for Azerbaijan to legitimize  its actions and resolve the Artsakh issue from a legal standpoint. In  this way, the Azerbaijani authorities want to portray the  Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as a criminal organization. International  law specialist Taron Simonyan  stated this at a press conference  titled "They are sued because they are Armenians " held in Yerevan on  April 10.

The human rights activist explained that one of the Baku's main goals  in this process is to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group, which has a  mandate to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It was within this  structure that the right of the people of Artsakh to  self-determination was enshrined.  Simonyan also highlighted the  paradoxical situation. According to him, despite Azerbaijan  considering anyone with any connection to Artsakh as criminals, only  23 Armenians are currently tried. Additionally, according to him,  120,000 people from Artsakh were able to leave the region freely,  which is under the control of the Azerbaijanis. Simonyan pointed out  two key objectives that Azerbaijan is achieving  through these  trials. "The first is to bolster the image of the authorities  domestically and assert some historical significance. It's like their  version of the Nuremberg Trials," the human rights activist  explained. The second aspect, according to Simonyan, concerns the  interests of Armenia and is divided into several directions: against  individuals, Artsakh itself, against Armenia and the Armenian nation  as a whole.

In conclusion, Simonyan drew attention to the statements of the  Azerbaijani side, calling them not accidental. He referenced a  specific statement suggesting that all Armenians, not just one  person,  are being tried in Azerbaijan. As the human rights activist  explained, this is being done  to put pressure on the Armenian people  and destroy their last chances of  consolidation.