On November 6, the trial in Baku continued against the leadership of the Republic of Artsakh, widely condemned as a judicial farce. The defendants include current and former high-ranking officials: President Arayik Harutyunyan, former presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, Foreign Minister David Babayan, and Defense Army commanders David Ishkhanyan and Levon Mnatsakanyan.
Prosecutors presented accusatory speeches, according to Vesti.az , detailing grave charges filed by Azerbaijani authorities. The accusations include organizing genocide and terrorism—charges rooted in Azerbaijan’s narrative.
President Harutyunyan, for instance, was charged not only for decisions made in his official capacity but also criticized for “shamelessly sharing” them on social media.
The trial is set to resume on November 7.
In September 2023, following a nine-month blockade and the full ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Armenian population, Azerbaijan detained former Artsakh leaders, including presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, as well as former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan and Foreign Minister David Babayan. The fabricated charges they face could lead to life imprisonment. The show trial began on January 17, 2025, in Baku.
