Lawyers for the former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh, who are on trial in Azerbaijan on charges of serious crimes, have declared the cases groundless and politically motivated. They have demanded acquittals for their clients.
Fifteen former high-ranking officials are in the dock, including three former presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh—Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arkady Ghukasyan. Also among the defendants are former parliament speaker David Ishkhanyan, former state minister Ruben Vardanyan (whose case is being heard separately), and other key figures. They are charged under more than 20 articles of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code.
The prosecutor's office is seeking life sentences for some of the defendants, including Arutyunyan and Ishkhanyan, and 16 to 20 years in prison for the rest. The lawyers emphasize that all of the defendants voluntarily surrendered to Azerbaijani authorities and deny their guilt. The defense points to the inconsistency between the charges and the actual roles of some of the defendants.
