MP Calls for OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Monitoring Mission to Observe Trials of Armenian POWs in Baku

Armenian National Assembly member Lilit Galstyan has urged the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) to send a monitoring mission to Baku, Azerbaijan. Her request aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the trials of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and political leaders from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Galstyan made her appeal during the OSCE PA Winter Meeting, stressing the serious human rights violations and legal concerns surrounding these judicial proceedings.

Galstyan expressed deep concern over the fate of Armenian detainees, many of whom were captured following Azerbaijan’s military offensive in September 2023. This attack led to the forced displacement of approximately 120,000 ethnic Armenians from Artsakh.

The trials, which began in January 2025, have raised serious concerns about Azerbaijan’s adherence to international human rights obligations. The country is bound by the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, yet evidence suggests systematic violations.

According to Galstyan, multiple violations have marred the judicial proceedings in Baku:

• Torture Allegations: There is compelling evidence suggesting that Armenian detainees have been subjected to torture while in custody.

• Ethnic-Based Charges: Many detainees are facing terrorism charges, seemingly based solely on their Armenian identity rather than concrete legal grounds.

• Restricted Access to Trials: Despite Azerbaijan’s claims of holding public proceedings, international news organizations have been denied access to the courtroom, limiting transparency.

• Ruben Vardanyan’s Case: One of the highest-profile detainees, philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, is being tried in a military court despite having no military background. He faces potential sentences totaling 200 years and has only limited access to his case files, which are presented in Azerbaijani.

  
  

The OSCE has clear mandates to oversee legal proceedings among its member states. The 1990 Copenhagen Document of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE obligates OSCE members to allow international observers and representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to monitor trials. Azerbaijan, as a participating member, is expected to comply with these provisions, but its current actions indicate otherwise.

Galstyan formally called on the OSCE PA to take immediate action by dispatching a monitoring mission to Baku. She outlined several key objectives for such a mission:

• Ensure Azerbaijan’s compliance with international legal standards.

• Provide transparent oversight of the judicial proceedings.

• Reinforce the international community’s commitment to protecting human rights.

• Send a strong message that violations of international law will be met with scrutiny and accountability.

  
  

The treatment of Armenian POWs and Artsakh’s political leaders in Azerbaijan is not just a bilateral issue but a matter of international human rights. The OSCE’s intervention could play a crucial role in preventing further injustices and ensuring that Azerbaijan adheres to its legal commitments.