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An Azerbaijani military court sentenced several former top political and military leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh to life imprisonment on war crime–related charges widely seen as fabricated.
Former Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, former Defense Army commander Levon Mnatsakanyan and his deputy Davit Manukyan, former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, and former Speaker of Parliament Davit Ishkanyan were sentenced to life imprisonment, the Azerbaijani APA news agency reported.
Former Presidents Bako Sahakyan and Arkady Ghukasyan received 20-year prison sentences, as they are over the age of 65 and Azerbaijani law prohibits life imprisonment for individuals of that age.
They are all among the 19 Armenian captives and detainees held unlawfully in Azerbaijan.
The trial of another prominent former Karabakh politician, former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, decried by him as a “farce,” is proceeding separately.
Other captives received sentences ranging from 15 to 19 years.
Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan were sentenced to 19 years; Davit Alahverdyan was sentenced to 16 years; Erik Ghazaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Vasily Beglaryan were sentenced to 15 years; and Garik Martirosyan was sentenced to 18 years.
After Azerbaijan’s takeover of Karabakh during its 2023 offensive, the Armenian population—over 100,000 people—fled to Armenia seeking refuge. The former politicians and others were detained during the exodus.