Azerbaijani regime`s prosecutions against Artsakh officials,  civilians and POWs aimed to erase Armenian leadership and identity  from region - Jared Genser 

ArmInfo.  At the Congressional hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ). The hearing, titled "Human Rights in Azerbaijan since the COP 29 UN Climate Change Conference," Jared Genser, Managing Director of Perseus Strategies, LLC, who is the attorney for former Artsakh Minister and Azerbaijan hostage Ruben Vardanyan, highlighted the repression faced by Artsakh's leadership and  Christian Armenians imprisoned in Azerbaijan, the Armenian National  Committee of America (ANCA) reports.  "Ruben's ongoing imprisonment  remains a powerful symbol of Aliyev's brutality. He faces life in  prison on more than 40 fabricated charges. His trial is a mockery of  justice: closed proceedings, no access to legal counsel, and even  denial of the Bible. He was tortured during a hunger strike. And he's  not alone - at least 23 Armenians are being held in sham trials, and  hundreds more have been forcibly disappeared." Genser explained that  the Azerbaijani regime has launched politically motivated  prosecutions against current and former officials of Artsakh, as well  as civilians and POWs, all in a broader effort to erase Armenian  leadership and identity from the region.  "Dictators never release  prisoners because they are asked. They do so only when compelled,"  Genser stated. "That's why the Azerbaijan Democracy Act, public  hearings, international referrals, and real sanctions are critical." 

  The twenty-three Armenian hostages, including eight current and  former leaders of Artsakh, illegally imprisoned by Azerbaijan are:  Davit Allahverdyan, Davit Babayan (former Artsakh Foreign Minister),  Madat Babayan, Levon Balayan, Rashid Beglaryan, Vasili Beglaryan,  Davit Davtyan, Vicken Euljekjian, Erik Ghazaryan, Arkadi Ghukasyan  (former Artsakh President), Arayik Harutyunyan (former Artsakh  President), Davit Ishkhanyan (Chairman of the Artsakh National  Assembly), Vagif Khachatryan, Alyosha Khosrovyan, Davit Manukyan  (General and former Commander of the Artsakh Armed Forces), Garik  Martrosyan, Lyudvig Mkrtchyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan (General and former  Commander of the Defense Forces), Melikset Pashayan, Bako Sahakyan  (former Artsakh President), Gurgen Stepanyan, Gevorg Sujyan, and  Ruben Vardanyan (former State Minister of Artsakh).