Rep. Dina Titus slams sham trials in Baku, calls for sanctions on Aliyev regime

Member of US Congress Dina Titus has condemned the trials that began on January 17 against Armenians held in Baku prisons on illegal and fabricated charges, urging the U.S. State Department to impose sanctions on the Aliyev regime.

“Eighteen Armenian political prisoners stood trial today in secret proceedings following Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing of Artsakh.

I condemn these sham trials and urge the State Department to consider the use of Magnitsky sanctions to target the human rights abusers in the Aliyev regime,” Rep. Dina Titus said in a post on X.

Eighteen Armenian political prisoners stood trial today in secret proceedings following Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing of Artsakh.

I condemn these sham trials and urge @StateDept to consider the use of Magnitsky sanctions to target the human rights abusers in the Aliyev regime.

— Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) January 18, 2025

Azerbaijan has illegally arrested former Nagorno-Karabakh Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, former MP Davit Ishkhanyan, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Davit Babayan, former Minister of Defense Levon Mnatsakanyan, former Deputy Minister of Defense Davit Manukyan, and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan on trumped-up charges.

False charges have also been brought against Vasily Beglaryan, Erik Ghazaryan, Davit Alahverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Garik Martirosyan, and Melikset Pashayan. The criminal case against Ruben Vardanyan was separated from the others, and his trial was held separately. The trials for both Ruben Vardanyan and the others took place on January 17.

The next court hearing for Vardanyan will be held on January 27, while the hearing for the others is scheduled for January 21.