Although Fair Trials does not currently actively monitor trials worldwide, we have received numerous reports from our network of lawyers and activists, supported by findings from international organizations, raising serious concerns about the following alarming developments.
Fair Trials is deeply concerned by serious reported due process violations in the ongoing trials of Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan, including former leaders and civilians from Nagorno-Karabakh. The right to a fair trial is a fundamental human right, enshrined in international law, and must be upheld without exception.
There are serious concerns that these trials lack transparency, involve politically motivated charges, coercion to sign falsified case materials, deny the opportunity to prepare one’s defence and fail to ensure judicial impartiality.
Trials must be free from political influence, and defendants must not be subject to banned psychoactive methods, enjoy medical care and have the right to challenge evidence, be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Fair Trials urges the Azerbaijani authorities to:
- Guarantee that all trials adhere to international fair trial standards, ensuring full transparency and due process.
- Allow independent legal representation, and ensure detainees have access to an adequate defense and the time necessary to prepare it.
- Allow independent legal representation and international trial observers to monitor proceedings.
- Ensure that detainees are not subjected to torture or ill-treatment and that any allegations of coerced confessions are properly investigated.
We also call on the international community to remain vigilant in ensuring that all individuals, regardless of political background, receive a fair and transparent trial.
The right to a fair trial is universal and must not be undermined. Fair Trials will continue to advocate for justice and the protection of fundamental procedural rights.
