Azerbaijan hands long prison terms to former Karabakh officials

BAKU, Feb 5 - An Azerbaijani military court issued long prison sentences on Thursday to 13 former officials of Nagorno-Karabakh, where ethnic Armenians maintained an unrecognised breakaway statelet for three decades until Baku restored military control in 2023.

Five defendants, including former Karabakh leader Arayik Harutyunyan, were sentenced to life imprisonment. Eight others received prison terms ranging from 15 to 20 years.

They were convicted on charges including crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, preparation and conduct of an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism and the violent seizure of power.

Human rights groups have raised concerns about the fairness of the trial, which began in January 2025.

Ethnic Armenians in Karabakh, an internationally recognised part of Azerbaijan, broke away from Baku's control as the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought two wars over the mountainous territory before Baku took it back in 2023 and its entire Armenian population of around 100,000 people fled to Armenia.

Harutyunyan's lawyer Javid Rzazade told Reuters that his client had expected the verdict.

"Arayik Harutyunyan was prepared for this court decision. We knew the court could issue a life sentence. Naturally, we do not agree with either the indictment or the verdict," Rzazade said, adding it was too early to decide on a possible appeal.

A verdict has yet to be passed on Ruben Vardanyan, a former billionaire banker who served as the number two official in Karabakh, and for whom prosecutors have demanded a life sentence. REUTERS