Ilham Aliyev’s recent statements and actions once again underscore a policy driven by force, intimidation, and political vengeance. Acting with open arrogance, Aliyev positions himself as the unchallenged authority over lands that Armenians regard as historically and spiritually theirs. Ancient Artsakh remains inseparable from the identity of the Armenian people. The aftermath of the 2020 Artsakh war and the failed policies of Nikol Pashinyan’s government left these territories devastated, destroying heritage sites and trampling the people’s dignity. Reports of desecrated graves and defiled churches symbolize not only territorial loss, but also a profound assault on cultural and moral foundations.
The conduct of the Azerbaijani army during and after the conflict draws forth serious allegations of war crimes and extrajudicial killings. Meanwhile, the elected leaders of Artsakh remain detained and sentenced to life imprisonment, which is widely viewed as punishment for their identity and not a matter of justice. Aliyev portrays this as triumphant, while leveling unsubstantiated accusations of “fascism” against Armenians and continuing to issue threats of renewed military action.
The dispute over the so-called Zangezur corridor only continues to inflame tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Backed by Ankara, Baku advances its demands through pressure tactics, disregarding Armenia’s sovereignty and marginalizing other regional actors. Clemency appeals for the imprisoned Artsakh leaders remain ignored, which reinforces the perception that coercion, rather than negotiation, defines the current approach.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 during the Munich Security Conference, Aliyev rejected the possibility of pardons and went so far as to compare the prosecution of Artsakh’s leaders to the Nuremberg trials. Critics view this comparison as deeply cynical. Invoking international law while targeting political figures for their leadership and ethnicity raises serious concerns about selective justice and political retribution.
Power can shape events in the present, but it cannot erase their record. Actions taken under the banner of legality or victory will ultimately be judged by history. Crimes committed in the shadow of authority do not disappear with time.
