BAKU TRIALS: The NGO ICJ (International Commission of Jurists) condemns the political trials of Armenian hostages (LIBERTAS)
- May 16
- 2 min read
The ICJ* report dated May 16, 2026, exposes the Azerbaijani judicial system as one characterized by control over lawyers, through the exclusion of those perceived as human rights defenders and other forms of reprisals, restrictions on the right to a defense, political pressure, and allegations of torture and ill-treatment.
Regarding these structural weaknesses, the ICJ also deplores the lack of substantial progress despite the recommendations made by itself and other international organizations since 2016.
An examination of these shortcomings is damning in light of the 2025 trials of former officials from Nagorno-Karabakh, all of whom were sentenced to very harsh penalties**: “civilians tried before a military court,” “defendants denied effective access to a lawyer of their choice,” “case files withheld or provided in a language the defendants did not understand,” “defense motions rejected without justification and omitted from the court record,” “insufficient or nonexistent interpretation,” “public access, including that of accredited diplomatic representatives, denied,” “proceedings that failed to respect the guarantees of fairness and equality of arms required by international human rights law.”
The report also highlights that Armenian prisoners were allegedly subjected to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, including sleep and water deprivation, as well as other abusive practices during their detention.
LIBERTAS welcomes this ICJ report and, together with the ICJ, calls on governments and international actors—in particular the European Commission—not to turn a blind eye to the plight of the Armenian hostages and stresses the need for independent international monitoring of judicial proceedings in Azerbaijan.
LIBERTAS reiterates that respect for the right to a fair trial, the physical and psychological integrity of detainees, and their dignity constitutes a fundamental obligation under international law that cannot be ignored or downplayed for political reasons.
In light of the alarming reports regarding the trials of Armenian prisoners in Baku, international attention and action remain essential to ensure respect for the fundamental principles of justice and human dignity.
**These trials follow the nine-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh and the forced displacement of more than 120,000 Armenians from Artsakh in the wake of the September 2023 military offensive.
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LIBERTAS is working for the release of the 20 Armenian state hostages and the rehabilitation of the released prisoners․
