Davit Ishkhanyan, the former chairman of the National Assembly of Artsakh, who is illegally detained in Baku prison, has again sent a message from Baku prison.
He noted: “The next stage of the peace trial can be considered finished. The appellate court went to a consultation, but, as we said in court, it is clear to all of us that that decision was made a long time ago, and it is not the panel of judges that makes that decision. The judicial panel will only announce and publish what has already been decided.
Our last speeches were very interesting and unique. As I mentioned, they were quite worthy speeches.
As in the court of first instance, in this case, both the representatives of the prosecutor’s office and the judge unnecessarily intervened and interrupted some people, including me. They didn’t let me present my speech completely, but it’s not a problem. We all understand that this is a political trial, and we declare very clearly there that this is a political trial. It cannot be otherwise.
Perhaps the greatest assessment of this trial was given by one of the defenders, who warned in the first instance that they would be ashamed in front of their descendants years later. And this time he delivered a very special speech to the judicial panel, telling them to not defile the court. He said that our victories were defiled by this trial.
In other words, our general behavior is already pushing them to admit that they had serious gaps in the judicial process. And, as I pointed out in my last speech at the trial court, in fact, politically and morally, the prosecution and the judicial panel, which are the same team, did not actually win the case. We, as the defendants, were the winners.
We gave worthy counterattacks to the arguments and false claims that were related to our people’s past, present, honor issues, false information about our people, fabricated justifications, behavior that undermines national self-love, and falsified history.
And in such a situation, it should be said that this is a field of struggle where the law of force applies. In other words, there is no force of law, we are the ones who decide. Judges and the judicial panel are guided by this principle and do what they want.
It is understandable for us, but, as we mentioned, this is secondary for us, and we just provide the formal side in order to reach the international court.
So, we can consider this trial as a failed trial for the judging party.
The news, as always, is presented one-sided, manipulated and not in accordance with reality.
Every once in a while, I even wonder where are the journalists of the “Freedom” media, the radio station, the freedom-seeking journalists. We have been waiting for almost two years for them to appear in the courtroom. It is not difficult for them to touch the walls of the White House or the walls of the Kremlin, or the walls of any European country, including the famous walls of Brussels, but we never saw them inside the courtrooms of Baku to present to the world who they are judging, why they are judging and how they are judging.
Anyway, let me introduce a little subtlety. Back on July 17, I submitted a motion to the court so that the prosecution, the prosecutor’s office, taking into account the situation, withdraws the claim, and the criminal case is terminated, this so-called criminal prosecution is stopped.
It was rejected on the spot. Naturally, I presented that the young staff present should consult with their superior, and the superior with his superior, but it was rejected on the spot.
On the 31st of the month, during our last session, in my last speech, I addressed the judge and asked, presented a proposal to the judge, so that by presenting the proposal with the content of my petition, using the moment, applying the possibility of my proposal, the judicial collegium consults with those who are necessary, with those who make decisions.
Taking into account the delicate political situation between the two countries, the two peoples, the role of foreign political actors and as a future-oriented investment, stop this criminal prosecution and dismiss the case.
What they will decide is another question, but at least such a proposal has been presented.
I have to say once again that during the nearly two-year-long trial of these two instances, the defense never received either the indictment, the indictment, or the verdict of the first instance.
Stay well. We will still say our word.”
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