As Christmas Approaches, Christians Around the World Await the Release of Armenian Prisoners in Baku: Davit Vardanian

Today, Christians worldwide are facing unprecedented levels of persecution and discrimination. Recent estimates show that hundreds of millions of Christians—1 in every 7 believers globally and 1 in 5 in Africa—live in places where their faith puts them in jeopardy every day. Over the past year alone, more than a quarter of a million Christians have been displaced from their homes. This was highlighted by Davit Vardanian, son of Ruben Vardanian, in an article published by The Christian Post.

“These are not just statistics. They are families. They are futures. And for my family, this crisis has a name—Ruben Vardanian.

As the world prepares to celebrate Christmas, a holiday symbolizing hope and freedom, my sisters, younger brother, and I are holding onto the hope of seeing our father again. My daughter has never met her grandfather; she was born nearly two years after his abduction.

Today, my father and 22 other Armenian Christian prisoners remain incarcerated in Baku, deprived of due process, spiritual support, and even the right to possess a Bible. However, the world has not remained silent. My father's case has received bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, as well as backing from the French parliament, the European Parliament, and leading human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International, calling for his immediate and unconditional release. These voices are united: his detention is illegal and baseless. Yet, despite all this, my father remains behind bars.

On August 8, a diplomatic agreement announced at the White House offered a path to peace and created hope for the release of Armenian prisoners. However, Azerbaijan has not upheld that commitment.

Washington wields significant levers of influence. Azerbaijan seeks closer economic partnership with the West and stronger defense and diplomatic ties, and is keen on its global legitimacy. Most importantly, it listens when the United States speaks.

This is where strong leadership is crucial. President Donald Trump has a well-documented history of personally intervening to secure the freedom of unjustly imprisoned individuals, from Sudan to Pakistan. The same determined leadership can today decide whether families will be reunited or remain in desperate waiting.

My father has always taught us that faith without courage is just a word, and that light always overcomes darkness. Even after spending two years behind bars, he has not given up and continues to hold that light.

If we believe that freedom of faith is a universal human right, we cannot turn a blind eye to Armenian Christians and to the man who remains by their side, helping them survive. The world is watching. A century ago, our ancestors were saved from the Armenian Genocide only because others had the courage to act. Today, Armenian Christians are facing familiar threats of new persecution and extermination. History will remember those who demanded justice and those who allowed silence to prevail. As Christmas approaches, Christians around the world are watching and praying for action once again,” stated Davit Vardanian.