Azerbaijan court charges Armenian remaining in Karabakh with terrorism
Karabakh Armenian charged with terrorism
An Azerbaijani court has charged Karen Avanesyan, an ethnic Armenian who remained in Nagorno-Karabakh after the mass exodus of Armenians in 2023, with terrorism. He faces up to 18 years in prison. Avanesyan, who is reported to have a mental disorder, has also been charged under seven other articles of the criminal code.
According to the prosecution, he was allegedly armed and attempted to approach the site of an event attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Avanesyan was detained on 14 September. The trial is ongoing at the Ganja Serious Crimes Court.
Lawyer Ara Kazaryan, who represents Avanesyan at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), has been submitting information on the case to the court.
“We are now closely following developments in Azerbaijan. However, the ECHR’ initial ruling requiring immediate access to Armenia, lawyers and relatives has not been implemented. When and why does Azerbaijan usually fail to comply with ECHR rulings? When it invents a narrative around a particular case,” Kazaryan told Radio Azatutyan (RFE/RL).
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Video shows man with backpack, no Kalashnikov or machine gun
Authorities in Baku say that 58-year-old Karen Avanesyan attempted to approach the site of an event attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. He was allegedly carrying a loaded Kalashnikov rifle and five grenades, but was stopped by police. Azerbaijani media have reported that Avanesyan “resisted, opened fire and threw grenades”.
On the previous day, a witness, Elmar Gurbanov, testified at the Ganja Serious Crimes Court, claiming he was hit by eight bullets during the alleged resistance. He also said the defendant had opened fire at police with a machine gun.
Armenian media say they are unable to independently verify the information provided by Azerbaijani outlets. However, the video presented as evidence shows no Kalashnikov rifle or machine gun. The footage shows only a man — identified as Avanesyan — walking with a backpack on the outskirts of a city.
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Ara Kazaryan recalls that in September the ECHR applied an interim measure. It ordered Azerbaijan to provide information on Karen Avanesyan’s health, the conditions of his detention, and to ensure contact with his relatives and lawyers.
“Azerbaijan said he was feeling well and had received medical assistance in prison. They even sent photographs of Karen reading a book, using the internet in prison and exercising on a fitness machine. These images clearly bear Azerbaijan’s hallmark — it is obvious they were staged,” Kazaryan said.
He also argued that the video presented to the court as evidence in fact shows the defendant walking in the opposite direction from the venue where the event attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was taking place.
Ara Kazaryan says he has submitted all available information to the European Court of Human Rights. He adds that it is important for the Strasbourg court to also receive documents confirming Karen Avanesyan’s mental health problems.
However, he said the health ministry has refused to provide them, citing medical confidentiality and demanding a power of attorney.
“Karen cannot authorise us, because he is not being given the opportunity to contact us. In a situation where it is impossible to obtain any power of attorney from Baku, the Armenian authorities should provide us with Karen’s data,” the lawyer said.
