Ombudsman: Azerbaijan continues Armenian POWs’ trial ‘in gross violation of international law’

Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan has voiced his concern over the continuing trials of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) in Azerbaijan, highlighting gross violations of international law accompanying the proceedings.

In a statement on Facebook, he claimed that the judicial hearings, involving Ludwig Mkrtchyan, Alyosha Khosrovyan and Vigen Euljekyan, were helld in breach of the norms and principles of international law.

The Ombudsman cited the Azerbaijani side’s reports alleging torture and other illegal acts amounting to the formation of military contingents and other groups.  

The Ombudsman notes that all the three persons were captured as part of the still unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict.

“All the Armenian servicemen and civilians being held in Azerbaijan are captives by definition.

"Hence any form of persecution against them constitutes a gross procedural violation of international law, with their detention amounting to a prohibited form of punishment. Those rules directly stem from the demands of international humanitarian law.

“Moreover, the Azerbaijani authorities initiate criminal prosecution against Armenian captives on the grounds of their ‘admission’ so to speak, using their testimony as evidence,” he said, adding that the gross violations are enshrined in the human rights defender’s special report.

“The Azerbaijani authorities’ anti-Armenian and hostile policies affirm, yet another time, the disproportionate nature of criminal procedures, making any discourse on human rights unnecessary. The rights of captives - coupled with other vital rights - are being endangered under such conditions,” the Ombudsman said, highlighting also the Azerbaijani side’s failure to release official statistics reporting the captives' number.