Two important things have happened in the last 10-12 days in connection with our trial. Former Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Foreign Minister of David Babayan, who is in Azerbaijani captivity, stated this in an audio message.

He added as follows: “This is not just a trial against us; this is a trial against the Armenian people, or against international law, against the commandments of God. And so, on the 18th of the month, we were already provided with an electronic version of the verdict of the court of appeal. It is natural that there is no signature there, as before—not even a single official note. However, they brought it and gave it to us, with a total amount of 47 volumes.

The second is that our lawyers have filed a cassation appeal with their supreme court. The lawyers of three people have filed it, the others have not been filed, or we are not aware that they have filed it. Maybe this is a game, I don’t know for what purpose. Nevertheless, those two important events took place.

As for that ruling, I will say that it is in fact 99.9 percent copied from the decision of their prosecutor’s office and the court of first instance, it does not differ in any way; that is, it is a copy-pasted document. But unlike previous documents, here they have adopted a slightly different approach in terms of falsification. If the prosecutor’s office and the court of first instance were simply lying, attributing things that we did not say or what we said was not included at all, here they have chosen a slightly different option, they have censored what we said, they have removed some important things—and this is widespread.

For example, when they accuse us of being members of some criminal unit—although they cannot clearly characterize what that criminal unit is, but it is Artsakh, Armenia, the Armenian people in general—then we bring various counter-evidence, to which they could not respond in any way. For example, I have brought about a dozen such counter-evidence, they cannot say anything about this so-called ‘group,’ they are criminal; they cannot say anything in any way. One of the counter-evidence simply paralyzes them. I say, ‘If it is a criminal association, why did your national leader, who is the father of the current president, have had activities with our republic? That is, he interacted directly, held official negotiations, and this is included in the documents.’ They become paralyzed.

All of that is removed from the materials of the court of appeal, but it is written that I said that ‘such an approach also strikes at the legitimacy of your statehood.’ They removed the name of the leader; they simply wrote that it strikes at legitimacy.

Or, let's say, they accuse me of huge economic abuses, although I have never been involved in business. I say, ‘You presented it as if I owned British Petroleum.’ Or, let's say, I am accused of being on some committee, from September 1988 to September 28, 1991, that made decisions about war and peace. Well, I say ironically, September 1988 is clear, I started 10th grade, maybe this is the criterion, but why December 28, 1991, and not the 27th or 29th? It is incomprehensible. That is, this is a document that has undergone a low-level censorship.

As for our lawyers, they really have filed a complaint, although they did not meet with us. A fairly well-explained complaint was filed. I want to thank my lawyer, because all the abuses of laws, regarding international law are noted there. Such an approach in this country [i.e. Azerbaijan] is really a great courage, a manifestation of humanity and professionalism.

Now, in fact, our appeal phase in their supreme court is starting; it is clear what will happen. I do not know when they will examine that case, but I know how it will end; that is, those legal, political, moral violations of the same kind, those gross abuses will occur. But that is not important to us; the fact is simply important that we go through that formal instance in the future, both for history and for our future courses of action.

I should also say that the last, 47th volume in the materials of the court of appeal, with an amount of 333 pages, was not accepted at all. The argument for the decision, why all those decisions are left unchanged is written there; it was not submitted at all.

But we do not despair, we have no right to either, and we will not despair, we stand firm. We want to thank all our sisters and brothers who support us, both our patriotic compatriots and our sisters and brothers of the nation of the Sun, and say that what you are doing is very important. May God protect you all. Thanks."