Paris Court of Appeal to hear case on 2022 attack against Azerbaijani embassy PHOTO

The Paris Court of Appeal will review the case concerning the September 2022 attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in France.

The incident, orchestrated by radical pro-Armenian activists, triggered significant international condemnation and marked a rare legal proceeding in France addressing violence against a diplomatic mission within the context of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The primary accused, Loris Tufanyan, a member of the Charjoum Armenian movement, was identified through video footage and eyewitness accounts. In June 2023, a Paris court sentenced Tufanyan to a six-month suspended prison term and a fine. However, the case has since been escalated to the Court of Appeal.

Azerbaijan’s interests at the appellate level are being defended by Edmond Verdier, a prominent lawyer specializing in international law. Verdier underscored the broader significance of the case, stating, “We are defending not only the state or its representatives but the foundations of international law, diplomatic sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence between peoples.”

Legal experts suggest that the Court of Appeal’s ruling could set a precedent in international jurisprudence concerning the protection of diplomatic missions against acts of aggression.

The attack, which took place on September 18, 2022, involved a forced breach of the embassy grounds by radical Armenian nationalists, resulting in property damage. According to the investigation, metal barriers were used to forcibly break the embassy’s entrance door, constituting a clear violation of international law, particularly the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The Azerbaijani Embassy was represented in the initial trial by the Lexlor law firm, which presented comprehensive evidence documenting the breach and the resulting damage. The upcoming appeal hearing is expected to further scrutinize these findings and reaffirm the legal protections afforded to diplomatic institutions under international law.

By Vafa Guliyeva