Former Artsakh National Assembly Speaker David Ishkhanyan, speaking from a prison in Baku, appealed to Armenia’s Human Rights Defender, saying the trial was directed not against 15 individuals, but against the Armenian people and Armenian statehood, Panorama.am reports.

He urged Armenia’s ombudsman to seek and obtain the full text of the verdict from Azerbaijan in both Armenian and Azerbaijani.

“I greet everyone.

We learned from the media that Ruben Vardanyan appealed to the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia to visit him. I do not know whether the respected defender will have the responsibility and determination to visit and see us as well. In that case, he would receive more detailed information and become familiar with how the entire investigation proceeded and with the serious and gross violations committed throughout both the investigation and the trial — violations of human rights, international law, international norms, and even the criminal procedure code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

At the end of the trial, during my final statement, I was unable to deliver my remarks in full. At least 30-40% of my speech was never allowed to be heard. However, I managed to say what I now want to repeat to my people and quote briefly:

‘This trial is not against 15 individuals. This trial has been launched against the Armenian people and Armenian statehood, with clear goals and a long-term strategy. I began to suspect this during the investigation, and during the court proceedings it became my conviction. Time will prove the truth of my words.’

As for Azerbaijan’s ombudsman, Sabina Aliyeva visited us yesterday, and we were able to provide her with some information. Since March 12, I had prepared an appeal letter to hand over to her, but for one or two months, for various reasons, I had been unable either to see her or deliver it. Yesterday I handed over my letter, in which I made one clear request: that the complete versions of our verdict in Azerbaijani and Armenian be mediated and delivered to my family and relatives.

The Human Rights Defender promised that the Azerbaijani version would be delivered to my family and that she would try to intervene.

As for the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, I now want to appeal to him verbally so that he may intervene and obtain from the relevant Azerbaijani bodies, perhaps also through his colleague, the full texts of our indictments and verdicts in Armenian and Azerbaijani, and transfer them to my family and relatives.

As for these difficult times, I only wish our people strength of spirit, will and unity. I want to say: stay strong,” the letter says.

A court in Baku sentenced Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison.

Former Nagorno-Karabakh president Arayik Harutyunyan was sentenced to life imprisonment. Former Defense Army commander Levon Mnatsakanyan and former first deputy commander Davit Manukyan also received life sentences, along with former Artsakh foreign minister Davit Babayan and parliament speaker David Ishkhanyan. Former Artsakh presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan received 19-year prison sentences, Garik Martirosyan was sentenced to 18 years, Davit Alahverdyan and Levon Balayan to 16 years, while Erik Ghazaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan and Vasily Beglaryan received 15-year sentences.