We Are More Worried About What My Father Said: Ruben Vardanyan's Son

David Vardanyan, the eldest son of political prisoner Ruben Vardanyan, who is illegally detained in Baku, gave an interview to CNN. He responded to the renowned commentator Christian Amanpour's questions regarding the situation of Ruben Vardanyan, who has been on hunger strike since April 5, demanding his immediate release and the release of other Armenian prisoners unlawfully held in Baku.

The interview, translated here, includes David Vardanyan's responses:

- David, thank you for having us… First, when was the last time you received any news? What is your father's condition, particularly after starting the hunger strike?

- Thank you, Christian, for this opportunity; it's important for both our family and for all Armenians, whose oppressors have caused suffering for 109 years, which, sadly, is happening again in our times—in the 21st century. We greatly appreciate this platform for making our voices heard.

My father, Ruben Vardanyan, was illegally arrested more than 200 days ago. Before that, he was under a more than 9-month blockade along with 120,000 other Armenians. Since his arrest, I have spoken to my father only once, in November. Prior to that, he could call every Tuesday and speak to my mother. Since April 2, we have not heard his voice and are very concerned about his condition, especially given that my father is a well-known Armenian philanthropist with a very clear stance on the rights of the 120,000 Armenians in Artsakh. We only learned late last week that he has been on a hunger strike since April 5. We believe that his communication with the outside world has been cut off to silence his protest, which is why he started the hunger strike.

On Saturday, my aunt had a phone conversation with him, which was unusual because we did not expect to receive a call over the weekend. From what my father said during that call, we became more worried. He reported that he has been transferred to a completely isolated cell, which means his conditions have worsened compared to before the hunger strike. Secondly, he mentioned that only his blood pressure is monitored once a day regarding his health, which means there is no medical supervision for a person who has been on hunger strike for nearly 20 days. At the end of the conversation, he made a statement that deeply troubled us: he said he now understands much better the laureates of the 'Aurora' Prize he co-founded, all those who risk their lives to save others, and added, 'Now I understand that values and principles are more important than life.'

- You are concerned because he has effectively conveyed to you that his life is at risk?

- Yes, and knowing my father, who has always stood for the defense of Armenians and has believed that, while Armenia and Azerbaijan are neighbors, they must coexist, it can never be the case that one side is the oppressor and the other oppressed, we believe that the struggle for the rights of Armenians who have become refugees over the days has become for him more important than his own life, something he is willing to die for.

- Of course, it is difficult for you to talk about all of this, to come to terms with it. Azerbaijan claims that he is accused of financial terrorism and forming armed groups, while he himself is demanding a swift and transparent trial. We have contacted the Azerbaijani embassy, but have not received a response. What stage is the trial at now, and what stage is he at since starting the hunger strike?

- Christian, that is one of the questions that concerns us greatly. This entire process lacks transparency. The charges against him are not based on any facts; there is no evidence for these serious accusations. Instead, everyone knows he has spent his entire life engaged in philanthropy, investing one and a half billion dollars in the development of Armenia and humanitarian initiatives worldwide, and in Artsakh, he has invested not only in churches and Christian cultural monuments but also in the restoration of a Shiite mosque, which reflects his life philosophy. He believes that the only way to achieve peace is to respect each other's culture and history. As for his prosecution process, unfortunately, we do not have information on what stage it is in. It was expected that the trial would take place in January, but it has been postponed again. It is now anticipated that it will start in May; however, we understand that there are no guarantees that this will happen, as it can be unilaterally postponed again. Our family's demand is for all Armenian prisoners to be released, but if there is to be any trial, it must happen as soon as possible, because we are convinced that he has absolutely nothing to do with the charges against him, and that trial should be monitored by international observers.

- May I ask a question considering your father's complicated past? Let’s view all of this in a broader context. Turkey is behind Azerbaijan, while Russia is behind Armenia. Azerbaijan established control over Artsakh without any objections from Russia. Did your father have connections with the Russian leadership, despite renouncing his Russian citizenship in 2022? This is a tangled web of complex connections. My question is, could any of these circumstances be linked to your father's persecution, maybe some people have political issues with your father?

- You know, before the 2020 war, my father stayed away from politics; he was initially a businessman, then a philanthropist who, as I mentioned, founded international awards like the 'Aurora' humanitarian initiative and the UWC network of international schools in Armenia, and he never had an interest in participating in political developments. However, for him, the suffering of 120,000 Armenians was a red line. After the 2020 war, the entire world left those people virtually alone. Seeing that horrific situation, my father decided to put everything on the line, including his and his family's safety, and went to Artsakh. In August 2022, when we met, I realized it was a completely emotional, entirely value-driven decision.

- A comment for the viewers, I say Artsakh, you use the local name. I mention this for clarity to the people. I want to ask about the U.S. Last month, David Ignatius in the Washington Post remarked that the U.S. is focused on a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and noted that the Biden administration, like previous administrations, is entangled between sympathies for the Armenian cause and beneficial relations with Azerbaijan, a NATO ally against Turkey and Iran. Don’t you think that your personal and family issue has entered into this so-called realpolitik vortex?

- Unfortunately, we live in a very complicated world, and it’s not just about the South Caucasus; it seems like we face a new crisis every week. I understand that geopolitics is coming to the forefront; however, I also hope that despite all the difficulties of today, we do not abandon our values, our pursuit of defending human rights and fundamental principles. This applies to the ongoing negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan as well. I am convinced that the issue of not only my father but also of the other seven political prisoners and many other captives held in Baku is a matter of not politics but of human decency and dignity.

- David, thank you. By the way, tomorrow is the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.