Azerbaijan is Conducting Arbitrary Trial Against Innocent Man with Fabricated Charges, Says Artsakh Ombudsman

The Ombudsman of Artsakh, Gegham Stepanyan, made a post on X (formerly Twitter), addressing the trial of Artsakh resident Vagif Khachatryan in Baku and calling on the international community to ensure his immediate and safe return to Armenia.

“An illegal trial against 68-year-old Vagif Khachatryan, a citizen of Artsakh, has started in Baku. Vagif was abducted by Azerbaijan on July 29, 2023, near an illegal checkpoint at the Hakari bridge while the ICRC was transporting him to Armenia for an emergency heart surgery. In gross violation of international law, Azerbaijan is conducting an arbitrary trial against an innocent man based on fabricated charges. The international community must defend human rights and values by ensuring the immediate and safe return of Vagif Khachatryan to Armenia,” Stepanyan wrote.