Ishkhanyan Calls on Ombudsman From Baku Prison

David Ishkhanyan, the former President of the National Assembly of Artsakh, has issued a direct, recorded appeal from his place of detention in Baku, calling on Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) to take decisive action. Ishkhanyan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by an Azerbaijani court in a process widely criticized for its lack of transparency and fundamental due process violations, is now seeking to bridge the information gap between his legal circumstances and his family.

The Call for Institutional Intervention

In his statement, Ishkhanyan highlighted that he recently met with the Azerbaijani Ombudsman, Sabina Aliyeva, to whom he handed a written request. He specified that his primary objective is to obtain the full texts of the indictments and the final court verdicts in both Armenian and Azerbaijani languages, so they can be transmitted to his relatives. Ishkhanyan is now urging Anahit Manasyan, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, to leverage her office to coordinate with regional counterparts and ensure these documents are secured and delivered.

This development follows a similar public outreach by former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, who previously urged the Armenian Ombudsman to explore the possibility of a visit to Baku. The persistent detention of political figures remains a critical humanitarian challenge, raising questions about the efficacy of current diplomatic and rights-based channels in the absence of a formal, high-level mediation framework.

Legal Integrity and Human Rights Concerns

Ishkhanyan emphasized that the proceedings against him and 15 other detainees were not merely individual cases but were directed against the Armenian people and their statehood. He described the trial as a process marred by severe procedural breaches of international law and Azerbaijan’s own criminal code. During his final statement in court, which he noted was curtailed by authorities, he maintained that the true objectives of these trials would be revealed over time.

The current situation underscores a broader systemic failure in protecting the rights of political prisoners in the region. While the Azerbaijani Ombudsman has promised to facilitate the transfer of documents, the reliance on such ad-hoc arrangements highlights the lack of robust, neutral mechanisms to ensure the rights of detainees are upheld. For the families involved, the lack of access to official court documentation represents a further layer of psychological and legal strain, complicating their ability to prepare any form of defense or advocacy.

Ultimately, the appeal from Ishkhanyan serves as a reminder that the humanitarian dimension of the conflict remains unresolved. While the Armenian authorities face political constraints, the institutional mandate of the Ombudsman’s office to protect the rights of its citizens—and those connected to its national interest—remains a focal point. Moving forward, the effectiveness of these appeals will depend on whether international human rights bodies and regional stakeholders can transition from passive observation to active, transparent engagement that prioritizes the dignity and legal rights of the detainees over geopolitical maneuvering.