This is not a trial, it is an ethnopolitical vendetta: David Babayan records address from Baku prison

David Babayan, former Foreign Minister of Artsakh, currently held captive in Azerbaijan, has addressed all human rights defenders and people of goodwill. The audio address was delivered to the NEWS. am agency through David Babayan’s family.

“Dear compatriots, Armenians around the world, people of goodwill, human rights defenders, and journalists. I am addressing you, having no other alternative. You know that we have already been here for three years, and trials are ongoing, with violations, of course. Another violation has now been added. My appeals, submitted for consideration by the appellate court, have disappeared. You know that we intend to apply to an international court. My lawyer informed me of this on May 7, telling me it was the last day to file. This was, of course, unexpected, since the final deadline was supposed to be February 25. On February 23, I sent two statements from the detention facility, and one letter through the facility director, requesting that they be forwarded. All of it disappeared. We were forced to write yet another letter, but we do not know the outcome. It is therefore possible that an attempt will be made to prevent me from filing an appeal. Furthermore, during the transfer from the detention facility to the prison on April 21, my court address delivered at the court of first instance on December 19, 2025, was confiscated.

This, too, is nothing other than a step toward destroying all court addresses. Please take this as information, as grounds for an application to an international court, and as notice to the international community, since we are firmly determined to apply to an international court. This was the only way to resolve the matter. I call upon all of you, all people of goodwill and Armenians around the world, to help us in this. I am doing this in the name of justice, democracy, the protection of human rights, and in the name of true peace. I believe, this is the only way. In this regard, I ask you to demand that our most recent court addresses be made available to you if they have not already been destroyed.

I would now like to briefly describe the trial. Who knows what may happen to me tomorrow, so I want you to be informed about what is taking place. The trial is, of course, fabricated. All norms of humanism, justice, fairness, international law, and their own legislation are being violated in the crudest manner. I call upon patriotic Armenians to unite and defend our rights, because we will apply to an international court. All of their arguments are fabricated, weak, and contrived. This is not a trial, it is an ethnopolitical vendetta, an ethnopolitical Lynch trial against our people’s past, present, and future. There have been so many abuses and violations that some lawyers spoke about them, noting that a time will come when all these violations will be a source of shame. I would say it will be a source of pain, because there are certain ideological principles, unwritten truths, including those tied to faith, the violation of which, especially when done knowingly and brazenly, is never forgiven and never forgotten.

I also cited a passage from the Quran, which states that God does not accept the arrogant and conceited. This is very important. I believe it made an impression. There were so many violations that at times what was happening became a tragicomedy. The first thing that stood out was the description in the indictment of items allegedly ‘found’ on me during a search. It was written that two metallic objects of white and yellow color were discovered. These were my gold chain with a cross and my silver prayer beads, both handmade. They were described as ‘metallic objects of white and yellow color.’ How does one explain what those are? This is state policy. Another problem was the testimony of ‘witnesses.’ One ‘witness’ who claimed to identify me stated: ‘You are Vitaly Balasanyan, I remember you well, you beat me and tortured me.’ He was told I was a different person, but he could not be calmed. My lawyer said I was a different person, and the witness insulted him.

Another ‘witness’ who claimed to identify me stated that I had tortured him in the winter of 1994, saying that I had not changed at all, nearly two meters tall, with a golden beard, mustache, and hair. He also pointed at us and said he had been beaten in either 1992 or 1993, hung upside down, and beaten with iron rods and sticks. I noted that even bats, which have been evolving for a million years, cannot hang upside down for seven consecutive days, how did he endure it? In a normal court, such things would have received one of three responses: either these people should have been asked to apologize, or they should have undergone an evaluation, as they may have medical issues, or their testimony should have been treated as slander and they should have been prosecuted. But nothing happened. On the contrary, they appeared at every hearing, and local television channels showed them in close-up.

It is also noteworthy that during our questioning, a photograph of David Galstyan, a member of the National Assembly, was shown, and it was claimed that he was a notorious arms-dealing mafia. I said he had no connection to such things. It later emerged that they meant a different David Galstyan, known by the nickname Patron Davo. The problem, however, is that 73 ‘witnesses’ gave testimony against David Galstyan, the member of parliament, insisting they had seen him. Of course, when I intervened, they became confused, withdrew to confer, returned two hours later, and declared that I had saved David Galstyan’s life.

When we were accused of illegal economic activity, the argument was made that unrecognized states are illegal entities and that economic ties with them are themselves a crime. But here is what happened. The court used a simultaneous interpretation system manufactured in Taiwan, I noticed this. So they are trying ‘separatists’ using ‘separatist technology,’ while claiming that contacts with such entities are impermissible. This comes despite the fact that their leadership visited China twice in 2025 alone and declared there that they recognize Taiwan as part of China. I am stating facts, none of this is the product of imagination. This is reality. Why? Because geopolitical hatred is being propagated at the state level, I spoke about this in my address as well. Ordinary people have nothing to do with it. I have encountered many ordinary, decent people here who have treated us well and continue to do so. There are no bad nations. I am therefore grateful to all decent people. The truth must be told as it is. What is good must be called good, and what is bad must be called bad. We want justice,” stated David Babayan.

He thanked all friends and family who have supported him throughout these years in Armenia, in the Diaspora, and in various countries across Europe and America.

“Stay strong. For the moment, we are all right. Thank you very much. This struggle is not only for us, but for the sake of justice, human rights, and democracy,” concluded David Babayan.