David Babayan addresses concerned Armenians held captive in Baku

ArmInfo.  Former Foreign Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic David Babayan, currently in Azerbaijani captivity, addressed all human rights activists and people of good will. The audio message was transmitted to NEWS.am through David Babayan's family.

We present the appeal in full, unabridged: "Dear compatriots,  Armenians around the world, people of good will, human rights  defenders, human rights advocates, journalists. I am addressing you,  having no other alternative. You know that we have been here for  three years now, and the trials are ongoing. Of course, with  violations. Another one has been added to them. My appeals, submitted  for consideration by the appellate court, have disappeared. You know  that we intend to appeal to an international court. My lawyer  informed me of this on May 7, stating that the last day for filing  the appeal was now. This, of course, was unexpected, since the last  day was supposed to be February 25, and on February 23, I sent two  statements from the detention center and one letter through the head  of the detention center, asking that it be sent. And all of this has  disappeared.

We were forced to write another letter, but we do not know the  answer. Therefore, it is possible that an attempt will be made to  prevent me from filing the appeal. Moreover, during After my transfer  from the detention center on April 21, from the detention center to  prison, they confiscated my speech given in the trial court on  December 19, 2025. This is also nothing less than a step to destroy  all speeches made in court.  Please accept this as information, a  basis for proceedings before an international court, and for the  attention of the international community, as we resolutely wish to  appeal to an international court. This is the only way to resolve  this issue. I call on all of you, all people of good will and  Armenians around the world, to help us with this. I am doing this in  the name of justice, democracy, the protection of human rights, and  true peace. I believe this is the only way. In this regard, I ask you  to demand that our most recent speeches be provided to you, if they  have not already been destroyed.

Now I'd like to briefly introduce the trial. Who knows what will  happen to me tomorrow, so you're informed. The trial is, of course,  rigged; all norms of humanism, justice, fairness, international law,  and their own legislation are being grossly violated. I call on  patriotic Armenians to unite and defend our rights, because we will  appeal to an international court. All their arguments are falsified,  weak, and far-fetched.  This isn't a trial; it's an ethnopolitical  vendetta, an ethnopolitical lynching against our people's past,  present, and future. There have been so many abuses and violations  that some lawyers have spoken out, noting that the time will come  when they will be ashamed of all these violations. I would say it  will be painful, because there is a certain ideology, unwritten  truths, including those related to faith, violations of which,  especially deliberate and brazen ones, are never forgiven.

I also quoted from the Koran, which says that God does not accept  arrogant and self-righteous people. This is very important. I think  it made an impression. There were so many violations that sometimes  it became a tragicomedy. The first thing that caught my eye was what  was described in the indictment as "found" on me during the search.  They wrote that two metal objects, white and yellow, were found.  These were my gold chain with a cross and silver rosary beads, both  handmade. They were described as "metal objects, white and yellow."  How can they then explain what they are? This is state policy.  Another problem is the testimony of "witnesses." One witness who  "identified" me stated, "You are Vitaly Balasanyan, I remember you  well, you beat me, tortured me." They told him I was a different  person, but he couldn't calm down. My lawyer said I was a different  person, that he had insulted him.

Another "identifier" claimed I tortured him in the winter of 1994,  saying I hadn't changed at all, standing almost two meters tall, with  a golden beard, mustache, and hair. He also said, pointing at us,  that he was beaten in either 1992 or 1993, hung upside down, and  beaten with iron bars and sticks. I remarked that even bats, which  have evolved for millions of years, can't hang upside down for seven  days straight-how did you manage to endure that? Such things would  have received one of three answers in a normal court: either these  people should apologize, or they should be subjected to an  examination-perhaps they have medical problems-or their testimony  should be considered slander and they should be brought to trial. But  nothing happened. On the contrary, they showed up for every hearing,  and local television channels showed them in close-up.

It's also interesting that during our interrogation, they showed us a  photograph of National Assembly member David Galstyan and said he was  a known mafioso who sold weapons. I said he had nothing to do with  it. It later turned out they were referring to a different David  Galstyan, nicknamed Patron Davo. But the problem is that 73  "witnesses" testified against David Galstyan, claiming to have seen  him. Of course, when I spoke, they became confused, went off to  deliberate, returned two hours later, and claimed I had saved David  Galstyan's life.

When we were accused of illegal economic activity, they argued that  unrecognized states are illegal entities and that economic ties with  them are in themselves a crime. But what happened? I noticed that a  simultaneous translation device manufactured in Taiwan was used in  court. So, they're trying "separatists" using "separatist  technology," while claiming that contacts with such states are  unacceptable. This is despite the fact that their leadership visited  China twice in 2025 alone and declared that it recognized Taiwan as  part of China. I'm presenting the facts; this is not a figment of the  imagination. This is reality.  Why? Because geopolitical hatred is  spreading at the state level, as I mentioned in my speech. Ordinary  people have nothing to do with this. And here I've met many ordinary,  normal people who have treated us well. There are no bad nations.  Therefore, I am grateful to all normal people. The truth must be told  as it is.  "We want justice," said David Babayan.

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

"Be strong. For now, everything is fine with us. Thank you very much.  This fight is not just for us, but for justice, human rights, and  democracy," concluded David Babayan, who has been in Azerbaijani  captivity since September 27, 2023.