The
Human Rights Defender Ms. Anahit Manasyan continues to monitor, within the
scope of her mandate, issues related to the rights of all ethnic Armenians
unlawfully deprived of liberty in Azerbaijan, taking into consideration the
importance of upholding universal human rights principles and values.
All
processes in Baku related to them are taking place in gross violation of
universal principles and values of human rights, as well as international legal
standards.
The
Defender's continuous monitoring demonstrates that even before individuals were
illegally deprived of their liberty, they were already being labeled as
“criminals and guilty” at the highest level of authorities in Azerbaijan.
Moreover, insults containing hatred and hostility directed at these
individuals, calls to kill Armenians, incitement to violence, and a deep-rooted
hatred towards Armenians continue to be widely disseminated on media sphere and
social media platforms.
It is
evident that under the conditions of state-sponsored policy of Armenophobia and
ethnic hatred and the violation of the presumption of innocence, the alleged
“trials” taking place in Baku contradict the requirements of the right to a
fair trial and cannot be considered as being conducted by a fair and impartial
court. Various human rights defenders, lawyers, and reputable international
actors have raised concerns about the illegality of this process.
The
right to a fair trial is enshrined in a number of international legal
documents. Moreover, in the context of the aforementioned right, the observance
of the principle of the presumption of innocence is considered by the European
Court of Human Rights in several scopes, including from the perspective of the
need for state bodies and the mass media to observe this principle.
Concerns
raised by various actors also indicate that ethnic Armenians under criminal
prosecution are deprived of procedural guarantees that are integral to the
right to a fair trial, including the right to effective defense by a lawyer of
their choice and the assistance of an interpreter with the necessary
guarantees. The Human Rights Defender shares these concerns regarding the
effective exercise of the right to a defense.
Moreover,
reports by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, various human rights
organizations, and reputable international structures (e.g., Human Rights
Watch, UN Committee Against Torture) have regularly raised concerns about the
manifestations of torture and ill-treatment of ethnic Armenians deprived of
their liberty.
The
Human Rights Defender emphasizes that all actors with a mandate to protect
human rights, including international actors, must take prompt and necessary
steps to resolve the mentioned issue. The Defender continues to address all
these issues, within the context of her mandate, to actors with a mandate to
protect human rights.
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