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Arkadi Ghukasyan, born on 22 June 1957 in Stepanakert, is an Armenian politician and former President of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh (1997–2007). He previously served as Foreign Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh and as Ambassador for Special Missions for the President of Armenia.
On 3 October 2023, he was arrested by Azerbaijani forces in Stepanakert and taken to Baku. He remains in preventive detention and is being tried before the Baku Military Court alongside 14 other Armenian citizens. He faces more than 20 charges under Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, including genocide, mercenarism, and terrorism.
According to open sources from Azerbaijani media, Ghukasyan made several statements during court hearings in 2025. On 13 March, he reportedly said the Armenian dram was the main currency in Nagorno-Karabakh, aiming to maintain a “common economic space.” On 26 May, a new lawyer joined his defense, and he raised no objections.
At the hearing on 28 August, the court presented his earlier testimony, in which he allegedly described Armenia’s decisive role in defense structures and supply routes in Nagorno-Karabakh. On 5 September, he requested that only his statement given during the trial be considered, not his preliminary testimony.
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At the 13 November 2025 session, prosecutors requested a 20-year prison sentence, the maximum allowed for defendants aged 65 or older under Azerbaijani law.
