Baku verdicts against Artsakh leaders illegitimate, politician says

A Baku court on Thursday handed down life sentences to several former leaders of Artsakh, with two former presidents receiving 20-year prison terms each, in rulings denounced by Armenian opposition politician Mane Tandilyan as illegitimate.

Tandilyan, who heads the Country to Live party, stressed the proceedings against Artsakh’s former military and political leadership amounted to a sham trial that trampled basic rights and served only as “political exploitation directed against Armenia and Artsakh.”

“These verdicts have no legal basis and can never have legitimacy. They harm prospects for peaceful coexistence between peoples,” she said in a statement.

Tandilyan urged Armenia’s authorities and the international community to intervene, insisting that the release of those detained must become a top priority. “Until the last Armenian returns from Azerbaijani captivity, the issue will remain on my agenda,” she added.