Protesters in Yerevan demand release of all Armenian prisoners from  Baku 

ArmInfo. Today in Yerevan, in front of the UN office and the Armenian Foreign Ministry, a protest was held in connection with the start of trials against the military- political leadership of Artsakh and other Armenian hostages.

The first ombudsman of Armenia, human rights activist Larisa  Alaverdyan, at a rally in front of the UN, demanded freedom for all  those illegally detained in Baku and sharply criticized the World  Organization for its connivance in this matter.

"Shame on the UN, you bear this shameful stigma, because after  everything that happened, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev treats  you with contempt, repeating that today it is not law but force that  decides everything. We are not here to ask, but to demand freedom for  all those illegally detained in Azerbaijan," Alaverdyan said.

The human rights activist drew attention to the fact that the  fabricated trial is taking place not so much against individuals, but  in the context of Azerbaijan's identification of the NKR national  movement and the right of the Artsakh people to self-determination  with terrorist actions. "We are obliged to raise our voice not for  one or two days, but constantly. I am sure that what Azerbaijan is  doing for political bargaining is happening with the encouragement of  the UN. Show me, UN representatives, at least one decision that not  only calls for action, but also clearly imposes sanctions,"  Alaverdyan demanded.

In this vein, she recalled the statement of the first chief  prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on August 13, 2023,  who described the blockade of Artsakh as genocidal actions. According  to Alaverdyan, even then Ocampo warned that if the leadership of  Azerbaijan was not convicted of its crimes, harsher measures would  follow against the people of Artsakh.

Alaverdyan also called for an end to demands for the dissolution of  the OSCE Minsk Group, the only international structure mandated to  resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"The UN cannot pass by indifferently if a country does not fulfill  its international obligations. And Armenia's obligations have been  recognized by the well-known institution of the OSCE Minsk Group co-  chairmanship. There is no other conflict in the world in which the  majority of permanent members of the UN Security Council are  involved. We demand that they stop voicing the need to dissolve the  OSCE Minsk Group. I demand that the UN take clear actions, which are  provided for in the UN Charter; we do not demand anything other than  the fulfillment of our obligations," Alaverdyan summarized.

In turn, another participant in the action, statesman and former  Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the NKR Narine  Aghabalyan stated that the most interested party in the protection of  the Armenian hostages illegally held in Baku should be the Armenian  government, and it should take appropriate steps.

"This is the argumentation of the whole world that if the Armenian  government does nothing, then it is pointless to expect protection of  justice from anyone else," the former minister emphasized.

Aghabalyan noted that in light of the start of the trial in Baku  against the Armenian prisoners, it is extremely important to once  again address the silent world, draw its attention to the criminal  actions of Azerbaijan and try to prevent this next crime. In this  vein, she recalled the recent statement by former Artsakh State  Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

"Ruben Vardanyan's widely publicized statement showed how alarming  the situation is and how shameful the situation is in the field of  justice in Baku. It was a call for all of us, both for the Armenian  public, to take appropriate steps, and for the international  community in terms of protecting justice," the former minister added.

According to Aghabalyan, the statement of the former Artsakh State  Minister confirms that another staged show will be held in  Azerbaijan. "Ruben Vardanyan's statement became a call for all  Armenians not to remain indifferent to such actions on the part of  Azerbaijan and not to allow themselves to become more divided and  vulnerable," Aghabalyan continued.

The former minister also recalled that the Artsakh parliament had  also made a statement the day before, noting that today the NKR  authorities have no other means of influence or pressure, but even  so, they expressed their position.

Then, the protesters marched to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with  a letter in which they demanded that action be taken to return the  prisoners held in Baku. The initiators of the protest also reported  that similar letters would be sent to the embassies of interested  countries.

Today, January 17, under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Agayev, the  Baku Military Court will consider the "indictment" against the former  leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh. Among the accused are three former  presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh: Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and  Arayik Harutyunyan. Also appearing before the court will be former  Foreign Minister David Babayan, Speaker of the Parliament David  Ishkhanyan, former Commander of the Defense Army General Levon  Mnatsakanyan, General David Manukyan and former State Minister Ruben  Vardanyan. 

The day before, Vardanyan made a statement in which he demanded that  he and his lawyer be given the opportunity to fully prepare for the  defense; that all violations and falsifications be eliminated; that  the trial of him and all the other accused be made public. "I insist  on a maximally open trial with the participation of international  journalists and representatives of humanitarian organizations. I am  convinced that only a real court, and not a trial, will help take a  step forward on the difficult path of building new relations between  our peoples," he emphasized. In conclusion, he demanded that his case  be combined with the cases of other defendants. "More than 400  volumes of my case out of 422 are episodes of a common case.  Separating my case into a separate proceeding is an artificial and  unfounded decision," Vardanyan added.