Baku court hands 20-year jail term to two former Artsakh presidents

The Baku Military Court on Thursday delivered verdicts in the sham trial of former Artsakh military and political leaders.

According to Azerbaijani media reports, former Artsakh Presidents Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were each sentenced to 20 years in prison. Former Artsakh National Assembly Speaker David Ishkhanyan and former Foreign Minister David Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Earlier on Thursday, the court handed down life sentences to former Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, former Artsakh Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan and former Deputy Commander David Manukyan.

Azerbaijan’s prosecutors had sought life sentences for most of the defendants. Under Azerbaijani law, life imprisonment cannot be imposed on individuals aged 65 or older. As a result, prosecutors requested 20-year prison terms for Ghukasyan and Sahakyan instead.