Ombudsman's Statement on the Sentences of Our Prisoners in Azerbaijan

The sentencing of our prisoners in Azerbaijan is entirely unfounded and the artificial result of a fabricated process. Their imprisonment constitutes a punishment prohibited by international law. This was stated by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan.

“Each 'trial' organized by the Azerbaijani authorities is accompanied by publications in Azerbaijani media that violate human dignity and rights, bearing titles such as 'Armenian terrorists' or similar. It is evident that this is a deliberate act and has an organized nature.

Azerbaijani social networks are also filled with hatred, showcasing 'discussions' calling for the torture and killing of prisoners (evidence has been documented).

Clearly, these 'trials' are a facade intended for the outside world. They are intended to provide Azerbaijan with a 'justification' for not releasing the prisoners while simultaneously achieving as many military-political benefits as possible.

Continuous monitoring shows that what is actually occurring are political bargaining and human trafficking. For instance, there is undeniable evidence supporting this: a conversation video between the President of Azerbaijan and the First Lady of Turkey.

Complaints and alerts directed continuously to the Human Rights Defender of Armenia from the families of prisoners and the missing clearly indicate that these trials cause additional mental suffering, further exacerbating the pain of those affected.

Any so-called trial is fundamentally a fraud, a sham created in gross violation of international law, and the detention of prisoners constitutes a prohibited punishment. This situation grossly violates international human rights requirements, including the Third Geneva Convention of 1949.

All prisoners must be immediately released and returned home without any preconditions,” the statement emphasized.

It should be noted that today an Azerbaijani court sentenced 2 Armenian captives to 4 months and 12 captives to 6 months of imprisonment.