Author: Ara Felekian

On November 7, the Baku Military Court convicted a Karabakh Armenian man of committing "genocide" and illegal deportation and sentenced him to 15 years in prison. 

Vagif Khachatryan, 68, is thus the first of a handful of Karabakh Armenians in Azerbaijani detention to be convicted. He is the only one that is not a former high-ranking official of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. 

He was also the first to be arrested. Khachaturyan was detained by Azerbaijani border guards in July at the newly constructed Lachin checkpoint. At that time, Nagorno-Karabakh was still inhabited by Armenians and was under Azerbaijani blockade. Khachatryan was due to have a heart operation in Yerevan and was one of a limited number of people being allowed passage through the checkpoint with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Khachatryan was accused of committing war crimes against Azerbaijanis during the First Karabakh War, specifically during Armenian forces' seizure of the village of Meshali in Nagorno-Karabakh's Khojaly District on December 22, 1991. In that incident, 25 Azerbaijanis were reportedly killed and more than 350 were expelled. 

Several survivors from Meshali were brought in as witnesses to Khachatryan's trial, and most claimed to recognize him. “They attacked civilians. Vagif, his brother, and others were also there. They hated Azerbaijanis. They said that the land and the village belonged to them and told us to leave. They poisoned and slaughtered our cattle in the meadow,” one former Meshali resident told the court. 

Khachatryan denied his involvement in the Meshali events and claimed that he only worked in provisions in the rear during the war. “I didn’t participate in events in the Meshali village, but I’m sorry for whatever happened to the Azerbaijani people from our side,” he said. 

Khachatryan is a native of the village of Patara, which is about six kilometers from the site of the alleged atrocity.

The 15-year sentence was the maximum possible. Azerbaijani law envisages a maximum sentence of life in prison for war crimes but prohibits life sentencing for those over 65. 

Armenia's Foreign Ministry said the trial was a mockery of justice that went against the norms of international humanitarian law. 

Khachatryan was the only Karabakh Armenian to be arrested and charged prior to Azerbaijan's lightning offensive to retake all of Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19-20. That operation, followed by the surrender of the Karabakh army and the dissolution of its government structures, triggered the flight of the region's Armenian population. 

During that exodus, Azerbaijan arrested eight former high-ranking officials of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, including its last three presidents.

They face various charges including terrorism and separatism. Their trials have yet to start.

https://eurasianet.org/first-karabakh-armenian-convicted-in-azerbaijan

In the shadow of towering mountains, the residents of Armenia’s southern province, Syunik, are living in the echo of a conflict that refuses to conclude. The specter of Azerbaijan, circling with a rapacious gaze, instills a palpable fear as the region becomes the new epicenter of a long-standing territorial dispute between the two nations.

(Also Read: Raising the Flag: Azerbaijani Sovereignty Asserted in Karabakh)

With the ink barely dried on the ceasefire agreement ending the violent six-week war over Nagorno-Karabakh last year, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev is stoking the embers of discord. He contends that the southern province of Syunik, a part of Armenia, is historically a region of Azerbaijan – a claim that has become a chilling foreboding of potential military aggression.

The United States, an active observer of the region’s complex dynamics, has denied circulating reports suggesting that Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned lawmakers of an imminent Azerbaijani invasion. Yet, the denial offers little comfort to the anxious Armenians, who feel the specter of the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh looming large.

As political tensions simmer, the human cost of the conflict is mounting. Over 100,000 refugees, homeless and traumatized, have sought shelter in Armenia following Azerbaijan’s offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian government, initially prepared for 40,000 displaced individuals, is grappling with the overwhelming influx of refugees.

While the Armenian government is providing relocation payments and monthly support, the UN High Commission for Refugees has called for international aid. The United States, in response, has pledged over $11.5 million in humanitarian assistance.

Amidst the chaos, hope persists in the form of various organizations and churches, both at home and abroad, extending their helping hand. Frontline Therapists, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and the Armenian Missionary Association of America are among those organizations providing aid and support to the displaced individuals, offering services ranging from food and shelter to mental health support.

(Also Read: Azerbaijani President Raises National Flag in Disputed Karabakh Region)

The situation in Armenia’s southern province remains fraught with tension. A lasting resolution to the conflict requires careful diplomacy and a commitment to peace from both parties, a challenge made more complex by the deep-seated historical and political animosities between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The international community, including the United States and the European Union, has insisted on a peaceful resolution and urged Azerbaijan to respect Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Yet, these calls echo in an environment where fear and uncertainty are the only constants, as the people of Syunik wait, caught in a geopolitical crossfire with no end in sight.

Momen Zellmi, a prominent political analyst, researcher, and diplomatic advisor, calls Iraqi Kurdistan home. He has earned a PhD in Language Policy and served as the editor-in-chief for a number of local news organizations, including KomalNews, Shrova Agency, and Zanko Kurd. Zellmi's extensive writing portfolio has garnered international attention and acclaim. He has also penned two significant books: "Islamic Jihadists in the Middle East" and "ISIS: Origins and Trajectory." These works provide crucial analysis on the rise and influence of extremist factions in the region, delving into their underlying motives and strategies. Zellmi's deep knowledge of the subject matter makes him an indispensable asset for any newsroom seeking to comprehend the intricate political dynamics of the Middle East.