They were captured in September 2023, during Azerbaijan's lightning offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh aimed at regaining full control of the separatist enclave. The trial of 16 Armenian prisoners, including eight former leaders of the former self-proclaimed republic, opened on Friday, January 17 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Their charges include "terrorism," "separatism" and "war crimes." The Azerbaijani media have broadcast images of the detainees being led to the military court by a police convoy. The trial is not being held behind closed doors, but without international observers or foreign media – Reuters is known to have been denied access.

Among the defendants are three former presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh: Arayik Haroutiounian, who ruled the separatist territory from 2020 to 2023; Arkadi Ghoukassian, president from 1997 to 2007, and Bako Sahakian, who held the post from 2007 to 2020. The last head of parliament, Davit Ichkhanian, is also being prosecuted, along with David Babayan, former foreign minister and adviser to the president; general Davit Manoukian; former defense minister (2015-2018) Levon Mnatsakanian; and billionaire investment banker Ruben Vardanian, short-lived state minister(November 2022 to February 2023).

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