
Amnesty International Urges Azerbaijan to Ensure "Fair Trial" for Ruben Vardanyan
Amnesty International has urged Azerbaijan to ensure a fair trial for former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, who went on trial in Baku on Friday on a multitude of war crimes related charges.
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, in a press release, writes:
“The Azerbaijani authorities claim they have put Ruben Vardanyan on trial to ensure accountability for crimes of which they accused him. But by denying him his fair trial rights, they are doing the exact opposite of justice. Authorities must uphold and ensure the fair trial rights of Ruben Vardanyan.”
Vardanyan, who moved to Artsakh in 2022 and became state minister that year, has raised serious allegations of human rights violations which include ill-treatment in detention, being coerced to sign falsified case materials and denied the opportunity to prepare his defense.
“Authorities must provide Ruben Vardanyan full access to his lawyers, and adequate time and opportunity to prepare his defense,” writes Struthers, adding that the international community must closely monitor this high-profile case.
Vardanyan was detained by Azerbaijani authorities on September 27, 2023 amid the mass exodus of ethnic Armenians following Azerbaijan’s military takeover.
The trial of seven other former Artsakh officials and eight Armenian civilians also began on Friday in a separate case.
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