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Akbar Novruz

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The European Parliament has recently released a draft resolution on the so-called “unlawful detention and sham trial of Armenian hostages” in Azerbaijan making several proclamations of undying and shameful interest.

The document, filled with inflammatory rhetoric and outright falsehoods, once again demonstrates how some members of the European Parliament (MEPs) continue to push anti-Azerbaijani narratives, largely influenced by the Armenian diaspora’s financial backing.

One of the most striking aspects of the resolution is its use of the non-existent geographical entities “Artsakh” and “Nagorno-Garabagh.” This terminology, long abandoned even by Armenia itself, since the day of its 'contamination', reflects the height of hypocrisy and cynicism. While Yerevan has never officially recognized the separatist regime, the European Parliament now appears to be more invested in its so-called “representatives” than Armenia itself. The persistence of this fabricated narrative suggests that certain MEPs may have had financial ties to this separatist structure, making the imprisonment of its former “leaders” inconvenient for them.

War criminals, not ‘political prisoners’

The individuals in question are not political figures being persecuted but war criminals who have openly admitted their crimes. The Armenian-origin war criminals have confessed in their own words to the great crimes they committed. While one might argue that these individuals are helpless or coerced, the separatist leader himself stated that no one forces them to do this. The crimes committed here know no bounds, and their confessions only confirm this. Ruben Vardanyan, a key figure in funding separatist and terrorist activities in Azerbaijan’s Garabagh region, has been directly implicated in war crimes, crimes against humanity, terrorism, and the financing of armed groups.

Eyewitness testimony has provided damning evidence of Vardanyan’s role in organizing military resistance and supporting terrorist activities against Azerbaijan. During court proceedings, Armenian-origin resident of Garabagh, Hayrapetyan Kamo Eduardovich, detailed how Vardanyan funded the construction of three military warehouses in Khankendi and Asgaran. He further testified that Vardanyan sponsored and financed armed groups, some composed of individuals aged 45-50, actively engaged in fighting Azerbaijani forces.

Additionally, the court established that Vardanyan facilitated the transport of landmines from Armenia to Garabagh via the Lachin corridor—clear evidence of his involvement in orchestrating military operations against Azerbaijan, ...and so on. The list continues; perhaps every detail about the court is available in English, not just on our website but throughout the entire internet. These testimonies expose the absurdity of the European Parliament’s portrayal of Vardanyan and other detainees as victims of political persecution.

The European Parliament’s undying and endless selective approach to human rights is glaring. The same body that fails to take decisive action on human rights abuses in other parts of the world suddenly rushes to defend individuals who have confessed to funding terrorism. The call for sanctions against Azerbaijani judges and officials overseeing the trials is yet another demonstration of the EU’s double standards and its refusal to acknowledge Azerbaijan’s sovereign legal system.

Moreover, the European Parliament’s condemnation of Azerbaijan’s decision to close the offices of UN bodies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is misleading. These institutions were not expelled but rather requested to align their operations with Azerbaijani law—something that should be expected in any independent state.

This resolution is not an isolated incident but part of a broader campaign driven by deep-seated Turkophobia and anti-Azerbaijani sentiment among certain EU politicians. These same forces that remained silent during decades of Armenian occupation and war crimes are now attempting to pressure Azerbaijan to restore its territorial integrity.

Despite this, Azerbaijan remains firm in upholding its sovereignty and will not be swayed by foreign interference. The trials of individuals like Ruben Vardanyan are being conducted transparently, with evidence available not only on Azerbaijani platforms but also across international sources. We are well aware of EP's behavior, which has not only soured but has also become utterly predictable. Perhaps, attempts by the European Parliament to distort the narrative will not change the reality: those responsible for war crimes must and will face justice.