Baku court exposes Yerevan’s fears Debunking the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s false claims

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia continues to draw the attention of the international community, particularly of partners interested in peace in the region and valuing humanitarian principles, to the issue of the release of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detained individuals held in Azerbaijan. It also highlights the staged trials against some of them, which are being conducted with gross procedural violations and clear signs of torture."

I deliberately provided the entire paragraph from the statement of Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs "so that their foolishness is evident." However, it’s not just foolishness but also lies. We can see and remember the efforts made by the former and current military-political leadership of Armenia to cleanse their reputation as provocateurs and aggressors. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, and other representatives of the official Yerevan make every possible effort to present themselves as "doves of peace."

They clearly count on general amnesia. This calculation is not only naive and foolish, but also desperate. Because in reality, no one will ever erase from the archives of modern history the series of provocative steps taken by Armenia’s leadership since they came to power through the so-called "Velvet Revolution." Just the cry of Pashinyan in the temporarily occupied Khankendi, "Karabakh is Armenia, full stop." And it wasn’t just words. There was also political, financial, and military support from Armenia for the separatists in Karabakh. This even continued after Armenia's defeat in the 44-day war, after Pashinyan signed the Trilateral Ceasefire Agreement on November 10, 2020.

And these are not our claims. The former leaders of the Karabakh junta themselves are acknowledging, one after another, in their court testimonies, that these events unfolded exactly as described. Arayik Harutyunyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan have already made statements, the essence of which is that all criminal orders, including those for missile strikes on peaceful Azerbaijani cities, came from Yerevan.

Bako Sahakyan also spoke, stating that all his rights were ensured during the pre-trial investigation. By the way, he detailed with great precision, sensitivity, and composure how his transfer to Baku took place. "On October 3, 2023, we — I and Arkadi Ghukasyan — were transferred from Karabakh to the detention center of the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan. On that day, for the protection of my rights, Azerbaijan appointed an attorney from the Baku law firm No. 12, Nigar Mirbabayeva. I was also provided with a translator. During the investigation, the investigator ensured all my rights so I could fully respond to the questions. I also had the opportunity to express my opinion and present my point of view," said Sahakyan.

So, where is there anything that points to "gross procedural violations and clear signs of torture," as falsely claimed by the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs? The truth, as we see, is that all the rights of the accused were properly ensured, the trial was conducted, and their testimonies were recorded. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross regularly visited the detainees, and their communication with their families was also ensured. The latest such meeting took place in February of this year.

The truth also lies in the fact that, following the 44-day war, Azerbaijan, as a humanitarian step and in accordance with its obligations under international humanitarian law, released and repatriated more than 200 Armenians who had the status of prisoners of war or detainees. Despite this, after their return to Armenia, some of them were arrested and interrogated by the Armenian authorities. Therefore, it is actually the Armenian side that should be accused of "gross procedural violations and clear signs of torture."

Overall, we must remind the bureaucrats at the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the leaders of the separatists, whom Armenia supported for nearly 30 years, and other detainees of Armenian origin are accused or have already been convicted of war crimes, ethnic cleansing, military aggression, torture, and other serious crimes. As the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted on February 28, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, international and national law, Baku has the full right to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for such crimes.

But that’s not all. Unlike Azerbaijan, Armenia has not initiated a single investigation regarding cases of degrading treatment of Azerbaijani prisoners of war and detained civilians, nor does it cooperate in providing information on the whereabouts of the 4,000 missing Azerbaijanis. This is what the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs should reflect on before making statements that have already been refuted, even by Bako Sahakyan.

Overall, the actions of Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicate that the current leadership of the neighboring country is deeply afraid of the confessions of the former leaders of the Karabakh junta. Armenia, including Pashinyan's government, understands its state responsibility for the crimes it committed against Azerbaijan. And this is precisely why it is trying, in such a primitive manner, to cast doubt not only on the testimony of the defendants but also on the forthcoming court decision. But herein lies the issue: by making such false and provocative statements, Armenia’s leadership is merely exposing its fear—fear of inevitable exposure.