Gevorg Sujyan, who returned to Armenia on January 14 from Azerbaijani custody along with Davit Davtyan, Vigen Euljekjian, and Vagif Khachatryan, has publicly described his five years of detention in Azerbaijan, detailing the unlawful imprisonment, psychological abuse, and politically motivated “trials” against Armenians.
Speaking during a Facebook live broadcast, Sujyan said the proceedings against him in Baku lacked any legal basis and that he was prosecuted solely because of his Armenian identity, which Azerbaijani authorities treated as synonymous with being an “enemy.”
Sujyan and Davtyan were captured on November 11, 2020, one day after the trilateral ceasefire statement came into force,while transporting humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Sujyan said he was traveling in his capacity as the founding head of a charitable organization.
Despite provisions calling for the return of detainees, both men were later sentenced in Azerbaijan to 15 years in prison on what Sujyan described as fabricated charges of “illegal possession of weapons” and “espionage.”
“A Formal and Illegal Process”
According to Sujyan, his rights were not protected at any stage of the proceedings, which he described as purely formal and unlawful. He said he was kept in a cell for most of his detention and taken out only for court hearings.
“They took me to court blindfolded. In court, they said whatever they wanted, ignored everything we said, then took us back to the cell. Later they brought us again, announced the sentence, and returned us to the cell,” Sujyan said.
Although a state-appointed lawyer was assigned to him, Sujyan said he only saw the lawyer during court sessions and received no meaningful legal defense. He added that Azerbaijani officials admitted they knew he was innocent but claimed they could not release him.
“I asked them to show even one piece of evidence proving my guilt. I said, ‘If you prove it, I’ll accept any punishment.’ They told me, ‘You have no guilt, but you must stay until inter-state issues are resolved,’” Sujyan said.
He stressed that five years, two months, and three days of his life were taken from him, causing serious harm to his health. “No one can imagine what kind of ordeal that is,” he said.
Psychological Pressure and Isolation
Sujyan said psychological pressure was routinely used against Armenian captives, with Azerbaijani officials attempting to break their morale. He said detainees were repeatedly told that Armenia had abandoned them and was making no effort to secure their release.
“They kept telling us, ‘Your state doesn’t care about you, it has forgotten you.’ This propaganda was meant to break us mentally,” he said, adding that isolation from family was among the most difficult aspects of captivity.
Confiscated Manuscript and Planned Film
During his detention, Sujyan wrote a book about his experiences. He attempted to send the manuscript to Armenia through the International Committee of the Red Cross, but was told it had to be submitted to Azerbaijan’s State Security Service for review. After handing it over, the manuscript was never returned.
Sujyan said he plans to rewrite the book in Armenia and that a film based on it, titled “The Crossroads of Life and Death,” will be produced.
Armenians Still Held in Azerbaijani Custody
Sujyan said Azerbaijan’s continued detention of Armenians contradicts its public statements about reconciliation and peace.
“If you are holding people, reconciliation cannot exist,” he said. “You cannot talk about peace while people are still being used as leverage.”
According to official Armenian figures, 19 Armenians remain in Azerbaijani custody, including eight former political and military leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh. Some have already been sentenced, while others continue to face trial.
Sujyan said he intends to remain publicly engaged in efforts to secure the release of those still detained, emphasizing that the issue should transcend political divisions. “This is not about views or affiliations,” he said. “It’s about people whose freedom is still being taken away.”
Sujyan also spoke about Lyudvig Mkrtchyan and Alyosha Khosrovyan, Armenian detainees with whom he was held in the same prison. Captured in October 2020, they remain in Azerbaijani custody despite the November 9 ceasefire statement calling for the return of all detainees. Both men have been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He thanked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan for supporting his family during his detention, noting that the prime minister personally called him and that they are expected to meet soon.
Sujyan concluded by calling on Armenian society to remain united and to support the return of all Armenians held in Azerbaijan, regardless of political views.
“Despite everything I went through, I will continue fighting for the freedom of those who are still there,” he said.
Council of Europe Assembly Urges Release Of Armenians Held In Azerbaijan
International bodies have also raised concerns over the illegal detention of Armenians in Azerbaijan. In a report adopted today covering the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s monitoring of Azerbaijan from January to December 2025, the Assembly urged Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release all individuals held on politically motivated grounds, explicitly including 23 Armenian detainees.
PACE said it remains deeply concerned by the ongoing deterioration of human rights in Azerbaijan and the growing number of political detentions, citing pressure against civil society activists, journalists, academics, opposition figures, and other government critics.
The report was finalized before four Armenian detainees were returned from Baku earlier this year. It classifies both those individuals and the former military and political leadership of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) still held in Azerbaijani prisons as political detainees.
