"Zhoghovurd" daily writes:
"Relatives of Vigen Euljekjian, a Lebanese-Armenian prisoner in Baku, inform ArmLur.am that the lawyers have submitted a petition to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for Vigen Euljekjian's immediate release.
His lawyers claim that Euljekjian's arrest and conviction are arbitrary and violate the protection of fundamental human rights. The petition presented by the lawyers presents two main arguments: 1. violation of jurisdiction. Azerbaijan treated Euljekjian as a civilian, but a military court tried and sentenced him, contrary to the established precedent of the United Nations Working Group (UNWGAD), where military courts do not have jurisdiction over civilians.
2. Incorrect use of the charge "Rent". as an Armenian citizen, Euljekjian cannot legally be classified as a mercenary under the Geneva Conventions. In addition, his lawyers requested the recusal of WGAD member Ganna Yudkivska due to a potential conflict of interest arising from her professional connection to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and her personal ties to Azerbaijan.
The application refers to the expert opinion of the founder of the International Criminal Court, Prosecutor General Luis Moreno Ocampo, and the official complaint filed by the Los Angeles-based Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ), which defends the rights of Armenians affected by the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, established in 1991 as part of the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council, investigates cases of unlawful deprivation of liberty and provides legal opinions, urgent complaints and recommendations, including on release and compensation.
To remind, Lebanese-Armenian Vigen Euljekjian was captured in 2020, after the 44-day war, on November 11. The military court of Baku sentenced him to 20 years in prison."
Details in today's issue of "Zhoghovurd" daily.
