"In Baku, we gave a worthy rebuff to the false claims regarding the  past and present of our people" – Former Artsakh Parliament Speaker  from Baku captivity 

ArmInfo.  The military-political leadership of Artsakh has given a worthy rebuff to the false allegations regarding the past and present of the Artsakh  people, as well as matters of honor. David Ishkhanyan, the former  Speaker of the Parliament of Artsakh currently held captive in Baku,  conveyed this message, noting that the latest stage of their trial  can be considered concluded.

In his address, published on the Artsakh Parliament's Facebook page,  Ishkhanyan drew attention to the obvious fact that all decisions were  made long ago, and not by the judicial panel. " "Our recent  statements were interesting and unique. As I have already noted, they  were dignified. Both in the court of first instance and here, the  prosecution and the judge groundlessly intervened, interrupted, and  prohibited many— including myself—from completing our statements  entirely. However, we all understand that this is a 'political  trial,' as we have also stated. The most accurate description was  given by one of the defense attorneys in the court of first instance,  who stated that they will spend years feeling ashamed before future  generations," the former Artsakh parliamentary speaker noted. 

He recalled how, in one of his recent speeches, he pointed out that  in the court of first instance, the prosecuting party and the  judicial panel—which are effectively one and the same—did not  actually win the case; rather, it was won by them as the accused.

"Because we delivered a worthy rebuff to the false assertions  concerning the past and present of our people, as well as matters of  honor. We can say that this is a battlefield where might makes right,  meaning the law is absent. The judicial panel follows the principle,  'We are the ones who decide,' and does whatever it pleases. This is  clear to us. But for us, all of this is secondary. Our goal is to  reach the International Court of Justice," Ishkhanyan emphasized.

He noted that they consider this trial a failure for the prosecution.  Moreover, according to the Artsakh politician, the media, as usual,  presents one-sided information that does not correspond to reality  and constitutes manipulation. "But I want to ask: where are the Radio  Liberty journalists, the journalists who fight for freedom? We've  been waiting for them to appear in the courtroom for two years now.  After all, it's not hard for them to reach the Kremlin, the White  House, or Europe, like Brussels. But we still haven't seen them here  to tell the world who's on trial, why, and how it's all happening,"  Ishkhanyan pointed out.

According to him, on July 17, he submitted a motion to the court  demanding that the prosecution, given the current situation, withdraw  the lawsuit and close the criminal case. However, as Ishkhanyan  noted, this request was denied on the spot. "On July 31, during our  last hearing, I asked the judge to request that the panel of judges,  taking into account the new political situation between the  countries, as well as the role of external political actors, and as  an investment in the future, terminate this criminal prosecution and  close the case. What they will decide is another matter, but such a  proposal was presented. And I want to reiterate that for two years  now, the defense has not received either an indictment, a bill of  indictment, or even a verdict from the first instance court. All the  best. We will have our say," the former speaker of the Artsakh  parliament concluded.

Later, it was reported that the Baku Court of Appeals upheld the  sentences of the Armenian prisoners of war after reviewing their  appeals.