Amnesty International: Ruben Vardanyan`s 20-year prison term  culminates "travesty" of a trial against ethnic Armenian leaders

ArmInfo.Responding to the conviction and 20-year sentence of Ruben Vardanyan, the last of 16  ethnic Armenians put on trial by Azerbaijan in connection with their roles in Azerbaijan's break-away region of Nagorno-Karabakh (Karabakh) prior to its takeover by Azerbaijani forces in 2023, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International's Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

"The conviction of the 16 defendants, culminating in this sentence  against Ruben Vardanyan, is nothing short of a travesty. The fact  that Ruben Vardanyan and the others, several civilians like himself,  were tried before a military court in itself raises serious concerns  and is incompatible with fair trial guarantees. While victims of the  decades-long conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh in both Armenia and  Azerbaijan deserve truth, justice, reparations and assurances of  non-repetition, these convictions constitute an affront to all  victims of crimes under international law."

"Accused of a plethora of extremely serious crimes, Ruben Vardanyan  and other defendants were tried in an effectively closed hearing,  based on 'evidence' in a language they could not understand and that  was not adequately translated. Even the charges - over 40 against  Vardanyan alone - including "terrorism" and "crimes against humanity"  were not fully publicly disclosed during proceedings. Amnesty  International requested information from the Azerbaijani authorities  about the trial and the evidence but received no response.

"Azerbaijan must comply with its obligations under international  human rights law and ensure that all those accused of crimes are  tried in full compliance with international law and fair trial  standards."

Background

A prominent businessman, Ruben Vardanyan moved from Russia to  Nagorno-Karabakh in 2022 and was detained by the Azerbaijani  authorities on 27 September 2023 amid the mass exodus of ethnic  Armenians following Azerbaijan's military takeover of the region. He  faced multiple charges, including "financing terrorism," "creating  illegal armed group" and "violent seizure of power."

Amnesty International expressed concern regarding his fair trial  rights, citing allegations of ill-treatment, coerced signature of  falsified case materials and denial of adequate time to prepare his  defence, and called for an investigation into these reported  violations.

On 5 February, the same court sentenced 15 other defendants,  including former leaders of the self- proclaimed "Republic of  Artsakh." Five, including the former de facto President Araik  Arutyunyan, received life sentences. The defendants, both civilian  and military, were accused of 2,548 crimes overall, including  "genocide," "slavery," "enforced disappearance" and "financing  terrorism."