Azerbaijan Opens Trials for Former Nagorno-Karabakh Leaders, Including Ruben Vardanyan

The high-profile trials raise concerns over fair trial rights and allegations of human rights violations in Azerbaijan's legal process.

Sixteen former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh, including ex-state minister Ruben Vardanyan, are on trial in Azerbaijan facing charges such as terrorism and war crimes.
Vardanyan, tried separately, faces 42 charges and has alleged ill-treatment, lack of access to case materials, and insufficient time to prepare for his defense.
The trials are closed to international media and observers, with only Azerbaijani state media allowed to attend, prompting criticism of transparency and fairness.
Amnesty International and Vardanyan's legal team have called for investigations into claims of rights violations, including coercion and solitary confinement during detention.
The trials follow Azerbaijan's 2023 military takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh, which led to the exodus of nearly 100,000 ethnic Armenians, with Armenia alleging ethnic cleansing.