BAKU — A military court in Baku has sentenced former Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan, former Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan, Major General Davit Manukyan, National Assembly Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, and former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan to life imprisonment, according to Azerbaijan’s state-run APA, following what human rights advocates have denounced as a politically motivated mock trial.
Former presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison. Azerbaijani law prohibits imposing life sentences on individuals aged 65 and over.
Among the defendants, Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan received 19-year prison terms, while Davit Alaverdyan was sentenced to 16 years.
Garik Martirosyan was sentenced to 18 years; Levon Balayan to 16 years; and Vasil Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Erik Ghazaryan each to 15 years in prison.
The final court hearing in the criminal case against three former Artsakh presidents and other Artsakh figures captured in September 2023 took place on December 26 of last year. Following that session, the presiding judge retired to deliberate before delivering the verdict.
Baku has brought dozens of charges against Artsakh’s military and political leadership, including allegations of planning and waging war, illegal resettlement, torture, and other offenses. The trial of former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan is proceeding separately.
Trials of Armenians in Azerbaijan are covered exclusively by state-controlled media outlets.
