Baku court rejects appeal by imprisoned Artsakh leaders in another politically driven ruling

(Horizon Media) – Azerbaijan’s Court of Appeal has rejected the appeals filed by the former political and military leaders of Artsakh, upholding the severe sentences imposed following widely condemned trials in Baku.

The ruling, issued under Judge Elmar Rahimov, left unchanged the February 5, 2026 verdict of the Baku Military Court, Azerbaijani state media reported. The decision represents yet another stage in Azerbaijan’s politically motivated persecution of the Armenian leadership of Artsakh.

In February, the Azerbaijani court sentenced the former Artsakh officials to life imprisonment or lengthy prison terms on a sweeping list of charges, including alleged crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism and the forcible seizure of power. The accusations have been used by the Azerbaijani regime to criminalize Artsakh’s decades-long struggle for self-determination and to punish its representatives through sham judicial proceedings devoid of credibility or impartiality.

Artsakh National Assembly Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan said in a voice message from prison in June that the appeal was merely a procedural formality. He stressed that the detainees had no expectation of justice from Azerbaijan’s courts and were pursuing the process solely to exhaust domestic remedies and clear the way for applications before international judicial bodies.

The rejection of the appeal further demonstrates that Azerbaijan’s courts are functioning as instruments of state repression rather than independent institutions. The imprisoned Artsakh leaders remain Armenian political hostages, and their continued detention demands an urgent and forceful response from the international community.