Human Rights Defender was Not Happy With Covering the Eyes of Azerbaijanis in Court

The cases of the two Azerbaijani citizens Dilham Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev is proceeding “In order and in accordance to all the law’s norms.” Today, “Against Legal Arbitrariness” NGO President, former MP, Armenia’s first Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan stated the latter to journalists. Her organization is the only the human rights defense group that has participated in the first two court sessions taking place in the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s capital Stepanakert.   

“By means of the Red Cross Organization, the NKR authorities stated that they are prepared to accept lawyers or monitors from a second country. However, such a desire hasn’t been made,” said Alaverdyan.

The human rights defender encouraged the journalist to refrain from writing that the court sessions in Nagorno-Karabakh are illegal, because a country’s recognition is not sufficient enough to make such statements. Alaverdyan says that the NKR constitution is very similar to that of Armenia’s, which complies with the highest international standards.

Alaverdyan considers it a violation that the defendants were brought into court with their eyes covered, however, in her opinion, the decision not to provide the defendants with a translator was not such a large violation because the defendants know Russian very well.

Alaverdyan said that during the court session and after meeting with the defendants, she was left with the feeling that there was no pressure exerted on them.

“Believe our organization’s 24 years experience,” said Alaverdyan. When asked how the defendants would apply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) if unsatisfied with the case’s verdict, Alaverdyan first stated that Azerbaijan had closed that path, and later added that the European Union “displays ignorance by not recognizing the legitimacy of the NKR bodies, which has no connection to the fact that the country is unrecognized.”

Prior to Dilgam Askerov’s arrest, Shahbaz Guliyev was arrested and Hasan Hasanov was killed. Baku defensively claims that the arrested and killed had no connection to the country’s military. The Armenian side has refused to grant the arrested person ‘Prisoner of War’ status.

Nagorno Karabakh’s prosecutor general has accused them for espionage, illegally crossing into NKR’s protected state borders with an organized group, illegal possession of arms and ammunition, kidnapping, murder motivated by ethnic hatred accompanied by kidnapping, and attempted murder of two individuals motivated by ethnic hatred. In accordance to the official bodies of Karvajar (Kelbajar) region, Askerov and Guliyev kidnapped and murdered 17-year old Smbat Tsakanyan, as well as, 42-year old Sargis Abrahamyan and injured 37-year old Karine Davtyan.