Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev called the Baku Military Court's verdict against Ruben Vardanyan "restoration of justice and the end of a nearly 30-year conflict."

In his X-account, Hajiyev noted that Azerbaijan expected the creation of international tribunals similar to Nuremberg, but in the context of politicized international law, the country ensured justice through its own open courts. He also condemned calls by certain European politicians and Amnesty International for the release of those accused of war crimes, emphasizing that this undermines the principle of the inevitability of punishment and hinders sustainable peace and reconciliation.

"Acquitting someone accused of war crimes is tantamount to legitimizing their crimes and complicity in undermining the principle of the inevitability of punishment. Sustainable peace is impossible without justice," Hajiyev stated.

As a reminder, the former head of the Nagorno-Karabakh government, former Russian citizen, and billionaire Ruben Vardanyan was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was charged with a number of crimes, including mercenarism, financing terrorism, and attempting to seize power. While in pretrial detention, he went on a hunger strike.

Earlier, on February 5, the Baku Military Court issued verdicts in the cases of other former military-political leaders of Karabakh. According to the court's ruling, former President of Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan, Deputy Commander of the Defense Army David Manukyan, former Speaker of Parliament David Ishkhanyan, and former Foreign Minister David Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment. In addition, other former presidents, Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, received 20-year prison terms.