Relatives of Vigen Euljekjian in Baku Submit Petition to UN

The newspaper "Zhoghavor" reports: "Relatives of Vigen Euljekjian, a Lebanese-Armenian captive in Baku, have announced that lawyers have submitted a petition to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for his immediate release. His lawyers argue that Euljekjian's detention and conviction are arbitrary and violate the protection of fundamental human rights.

In the petition submitted by the lawyers, two main arguments are presented:

1. Jurisdictional Violation: Azerbaijan has treated Euljekjian as a civilian; however, a military court has tried and convicted him, contrary to precedents established by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), since military courts do not have jurisdiction over civilians.
2. Misapplication of the 'Mercenary' Charge: As an Armenian citizen, Euljekjian cannot legally be classified as a mercenary according to the Geneva Conventions.

Additionally, his lawyers have requested the recusal of WGAD member Ganna Yudkivska due to potential conflicts of interest arising from her professional connections with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and personal ties to Azerbaijan.

The petition references the expert opinion of Luis Moreno Ocampo, founding prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, and an official complaint presented by the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) in Los Angeles, which advocates for the rights of Armenians affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, established in 1991 as part of the UN Human Rights Council's special procedures, investigates cases of unlawful deprivation of liberty and provides legal opinions, urgent appeals, and recommendations regarding release and compensation.

It is recalled that Lebanese-Armenian Vigen Euljekjian was captured in 2020 after the 44-day war, on November 11. The military court in Baku sentenced him to 20 years in prison."