Aliyev says Vance raised possible pardons for imprisoned Artsakh leaders during Baku visit

(Horizon Weekly) — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has acknowledged that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance raised the issue of potential pardons for imprisoned Artsakh military and political leaders during his recent visit to Baku.

In an interview with France 24 on Friday, Aliyev confirmed that the matter was discussed during what he described as a multi-hour meeting with the U.S. Vice President. He said the conversation primarily focused on bilateral relations, regional development initiatives, the TRIPP corridor project, and the prospects of a formal peace agreement with Armenia. However, he noted that the question of the imprisoned Artsakh leaders was also brought up.

Aliyev reiterated Baku’s long-standing position, characterizing the illegally detained officials as leaders of what he called an “illegal separatist regime” that operated on the territory of Azerbaijan, which he said is internationally recognized — including by Armenia — as sovereign Azerbaijani land.

The imprisoned Artsakh officials were recently handed life sentences or lengthy prison terms following politically motivated show trials. Aliyev, however, defended the convictions, asserting that the defendants were provided with legal counsel and that the trial process was “absolutely transparent.” He claimed that their guilt had been established through extensive witness testimony and evidence.

Escalating his rhetoric, the Azerbaijani president alleged that the former Artsakh leaders had committed “serious crimes against humanity,” drawing a controversial comparison to the post-Second World War Nuremberg trials. He suggested that calls for their release would be akin to seeking the freedom of convicted Nazi officials.

The remarks underscore the deep impasse surrounding the fate of Armenian detainees in Baku, a key humanitarian and political issue that continues to cast a shadow over broader regional normalization efforts.