Lawyers appeal to UN requesting immediate release of Vicken  Euljekjyan from Azerbaijani captivity

ArmInfo.  The legal representatives of Vicken Euljekjian, a 46-year-old Armenian tour guide arbitrarily detained in Azerbaijan, have formally requested the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) to order his immediate release, citing grave violations of international law and  severe detention conditions that endanger his life, as reported by  the Free Armenian Hostages initiative.

The initiative recalled that Euljekjian was arrested on 10 November  2020 in Shushi (Nagorno-Karabakh), one day after the ceasefire that  ended the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan war. On 14 June 2021, the Baku  Military Court sentenced him to 20 years in prison on charges of  "mercenary activity" and "terrorism." His lawyers argue that his  detention and conviction are arbitrary and violate fundamental human  rights protections.

The petition, submitted by Maria Luciana Minassian (Argentina) and  Aitor Martinez Jimenez (Spain), advances two key arguments: 1.  Jurisdictional violation: Azerbaijan treated Euljekjian as a  civilian, yet a military court tried and complimented him, contrary  to established UNWGAD precedent that military courts lack  jurisdiction over civilians and 2. Misapplication of the "mercenary"  charge: As an Armenian national, Euljekjian cannot be legally  classified as a mercenary under the Geneva Conventions.

Additionally, his lawyers have requested the recusal of WGAD member  Ganna Yudkivska due to potential conflicts of interest arising from  her professional association with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan  (SOCAR) and personal ties to Azerbaijan. The petition references an  expert opinion by the founding Chief Prosecutor of the International  Criminal Court Luis Moreno Ocampo, and a formal complaint submitted  by the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ), a Los Angeles-based  organization defending the rights of Armenians affected by the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, established in 1991 as  part of the UN Human Rights Council's special procedures,  investigates cases of harmful deprivation of liberty and issues legal  opinions, urgent appeals, and recommendations for remedies, including  release and reparations.