Karabakh’s separatist leaders to face trial in Azerbaijan

BAKU

Azerbaijan is set to bring 15 former political and military leaders of the former separatist Armenian administration in Karabakh to trial.

The prosecutors completed their investigation of the suspects, who are currently in custody and prepared as a single indictment, forwarding it to the Baku Military Court, according to a statement from the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office on Dec. 17.

Among the 15 accused are the self-proclaimed presidents and the speaker of the parliament of the separatist regime.

Baku intends to prosecute these individuals on a range of charges, including the initiation of war, genocide, torture, terrorism and forced displacement of the population.

Following the Azerbaijan’s one-day operation on Sept. 19, 2023, Baku reclaimed full control over its region and demanded that Armenian separatists in Karabakh lay down their weapons and the separatist "government" dismantle itself.

The breakaway government of Nagorno-Karabakh dissolved itself and the unrecognized republic ceased to exist in 2024, formally ending more than 30 years of separatist rule.