#Baku #Azerbaijan #Ruben Vardanyan #Humanitarian

Legal Team Condemns New Charges Against Ruben Vardanyan

The legal representatives of Armenian humanitarian and political prisoner Ruben Vardanyan have voiced strong criticism against Azerbaijan's latest wave of fabricated allegations, which could result in a life sentence. This disclosure comes amidst unprecedented escalations in the ongoing suppression of dissent within Azerbaijan, where Vardanyan, formerly a minister in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, has been targeted following the country’s controversial hosting of the COP29 climate summit.

On December 16, 2024, Azerbaijan’s prosecutor's office unveiled around 45 potential charges against Vardanyan, highlighting the regime’s desperate attempts to bolster its campaign to justify ethnic cleansing actions in Nagorno-Karabakh. These new claims encompass 20 distinct articles from Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, contending that Vardanyan poses a threat to national security.

The evidence presented, consisting of approximately 25,000 pages in 100 volumes, has been systematically concealed from both Vardanyan and the public, under the pretext of protecting national interests. The authorities have denied copies of the evidence to Vardanyan and his attorney, whose access remains severely restricted. They are only allowed limited viewing periods of the documents, without proper translations or opportunities to take notes — further hampering their ability to mount a viable defense.

Jared Genser, Vardanyan's legal counsel, asserted, “These charges blatantly contravene Azerbaijan's obligations under international law. The extensive and convoluted nature of these allegations demonstrates an obvious attempt to pin blame on Ruben for actions taken by the Azerbaijani regime in Nagorno-Karabakh. The refusal to disclose comprehensive charges or supporting evidence reveals a politically motivated agenda, aimed at facilitating a secret trial devoid of independence or impartiality.”

The family of Ruben Vardanyan has voiced its concerns that these charges symbolize a growing campaign to stifle dissent and suppress pro-democracy voices in Azerbaijan. David Vardanyan, Ruben's son, emphasized the absurdity of the accusations, suggesting that they serve as scapegoating for the failures observed during COP29. He stated, “My father was a minister devoted to improving the lives of his citizens. Now, he is threatened with life imprisonment by one of the most corrupt regimes on the planet. His wrongful incarceration represents a stark message to Armenians worldwide; no one is safe.”

Despite already enduring over a year of unlawful detention under the Azerbaijani regime, the latest developments indicate an alarming descent into deeper authoritarianism under Ilham Aliyev’s leadership. Freedom House currently rates Azerbaijan’s freedom at only seven out of one hundred, ranking it below countries like Somalia and Venezuela in terms of political and civil liberties. This situation underscores a systematic erosion of fundamental freedoms and a continued assault on dissent.

Last September, Azerbaijani government forces invaded the ethnically Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in the expulsion of 120,000 Armenian Christians. During this exodus, Vardanyan along with several other former officials were arrested and subsequently charged with politically motivated allegations.

Ruben Vardanyan, who served as Minister of State for Nagorno-Karabakh from November 2022 to February 2023, remains in detention in Baku under conditions violating international law. Observers fear that the anticipated political show trial will not adhere to established international standards of justice.

As tensions escalate, the outcry for international engagement and oversight grows louder, with hopes of prompting significant action against such extreme violations of human rights and justice in Azerbaijan.