The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has issued the following statement, which we present below:
Azerbaijani state media report that Vardanyan was convicted on a variety of charges including terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
This is not merely a trial of Ruben Vardanyan and the other Armenian detainees; it is seen as a judgment against the Armenian people as a whole.
Refusing to participate in what he described as an imitation of justice, Vardanyan spoke about dignity, responsibility, and peace — all of which, he said, are only possible between equals.
Former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, now on trial at Baku’s Military Court on numerous terrorism and war crimes charges, has halted the hunger strike he began last month.
Genser writes that Pashinyan “could send a private envoy to Baku to negotiate the release of Armenian political prisoners.
Jared Genser, international counsel to former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, issued the following statement on February 26.
I once again reiterate and state my complete innocence and the innocence of my Armenian compatriots also being held as political prisoners and demand an immediate end to this politically motivated case against us.
Azerbaijan’s State Security Service (SSS) detained Vardanyan last September as he attempted to travel from Karabakh to Armenia via the Lachin Corridor after Azerbaijani military forces attacked and regained control of the breakaway republic.
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