The Baku Military Court has issued verdicts in the cases of Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan, sentencing both to 19 years in prison, according to Minval.az . The trials are widely described as politically motivated and based on fabricated charges.
While the charges against Babayan carried a potential life sentence, Azerbaijani law prohibits life imprisonment for individuals over the age of 65. The same legal rationale applied to Pashayyan, who faced similar charges.
Both were captured by Azerbaijani forces during the September 19, 2023, attack on Artsakh.
Earlier, former Artsakh president Arayik Harutyunyan was sentenced to life imprisonment, along with:
- Levon Mnatsakanyan, former Defense Army commander
- Davit Manukyan, former deputy commander
- Davit Babayan, former Foreign Minister
- Davit Ishkhanyan, former National Assembly Speaker
Former Artsakh presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison each.
