Aliyev Needs This to Turn the Page on Nagorno-Karabakh: Le Parisien

The French publication Le Parisien has addressed the fake trial of Ruben Vardanyan. In an article titled, "A Man Who Must Be Overthrown: Ruben Vardanyan, a Victim of a Faked Trial in Azerbaijan," it is noted that Vardanyan faces 42 charges, including "terrorism" and "murder." An endless list that is repeatedly echoed by local media. For these alleged crimes, the Armenian billionaire faces up to 200 years in prison.

The article points out that the successful businessman, who was also a co-founder of the large international humanitarian project 'Aurora,' had a bright future ahead, but everything changed in 2020. Azerbaijan launched fierce attacks to seize Nagorno-Karabakh, reigniting the flames of an eternal conflict. 'This war was a red line for him. It was unbearable for him to see Armenians abandoned by the whole world,' recounts his son, Davit Vardanyan.

At that time, Ruben Vardanyan felt he had a mission to fulfill: to restore peace to the region. In September 2022, he settled there. Davit recalls their last conversation just weeks before his father moved to Nagorno-Karabakh: 'I was against his decision. I was afraid he wouldn’t return alive...'

The determined businessman’s plan worked for some time, until February 2023, when he occupied the position of the State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, founding public canteens to provide food for locals. However, in September, the region erupts again as Azerbaijan launches a lightning offensive, presenting it as an "anti-terror operation." As a result, there are 400 casualties, and the 120,000 Armenians living there flee from Artsakh.

Ruben Vardanyan was arrested on September 27 while attempting to cross the border. Handcuffed and surrounded by two soldiers, images of his arrest spread worldwide. This was followed by a grotesque legal battle, where he faced torture in prison. In April 2024, after a two-week hunger strike, his relatives were deprived of any means to contact him. As punishment, authorities kept him in a disciplinary cell for 23 days. 'He could barely sit, deprived of water and food, with lights on 24/7,' notes his international lawyer, Jared Gensher.

A human rights expert condemned the 'show trial' from the very first day of the hearings. The 25,000-page indictment is completely written in Azerbaijani, a language that the defendant, Vardanyan, does not understand. Azerbaijani media label him a 'war criminal.' Another absurdity: a man over fifty stands before a military court, despite never having worn a military uniform. 'This is a gross violation of the European Convention on Human Rights,' emphasizes a lawyer who has been deprived of direct contact with his client. 'I believe he will receive a long sentence, maybe even life imprisonment,' adds Gensher. Such a fate is what local media predict for Ruben Vardanyan, who they gleefully call a 'war criminal.'

By staging this fake trial, the authorities seem determined to ensure a strategy beneficial to them. 'Ruben Vardanyan is the man the regime fears most, and he is the one they need to overthrow. Ilham Aliyev needs this historical trial to turn the page on Nagorno-Karabakh,' explains Tigran Yeghayan, a professor at the Schiller International University and author of 'The Geopolitics of Armenia.'

Ruben Vardanyan wrote a letter on January 16, condemning the conditions of his trial. He elaborates that he feels 'neither anger nor hatred,' while declaring, 'I am convinced that the truth will prevail.'