Armenian opposition MP condemns civil society delegation's visit to Baku

An Armenian opposition MP on Saturday sharply criticized a visit to Baku by an Armenian civil society delegation, stressing that the trip failed to address the plight of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan, the ARF Armenia leader and an MP from the Hayastan faction, said in a statement that five Armenian representatives had traveled to Baku, with the Armenian government allocating 17.5 million drams to fund direct flights. The trip was officially presented as part of a confidence-building initiative between Armenian and Azerbaijani civil societies.

Saghatelyan called attention to the ongoing sham trials of former Artsakh military and political leaders and other Armenian captives in Baku. He noted that the Azerbaijani Prosecutor's Office is seeking life sentences for Arayik Harutyunyan, Davit Ishkanyan, Davit Manukyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan and Davit Babayan and 16-20-year terms for several others.

“Those in Baku have already stated that the program does not include visits to prisoners,” Saghatelyan said, arguing that the initiative serves more as an attempt by Azerbaijan to legitimize the ethnic-cleansing in Artsakh than as a genuine trust-building effort.

He added that attempts by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to portray such engagements as constructive dialogue have failed. “The Azerbaijani side has only held public meetings with its own agents of influence, who have no connection to the Armenian people or Armenian civil society,” the MP added.