This Verdict is Legally Baseless: Ruben Vardanyan's Legal Team Issues Statement

Ruben Vardanyan's legal team has issued a statement. "On February 17 of this year, the military court of Baku rendered a guilty verdict against Ruben Vardanyan, sentencing him to twenty years in prison. This ruling is not the result of an independent and impartial judicial process, but rather a predictable outcome of proceedings influenced by political considerations, completely incompatible with guarantees of fair trial.

As representatives of his legal team, we announce that this verdict is legally baseless. The trial has proceeded from the outset with serious and systematic violations of both Azerbaijan’s domestic legislation and its international obligations. The court failed to meet the requirements for independence and impartiality guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. The framing and substance of the charges have undermined the presumption of innocence.

The defense has been deprived of the opportunity to adequately familiarize itself with the materials of the case, having had severely inadequate time for studying the materials. Attempts to make motions and present exculpatory evidence have been repeatedly obstructed. Mr. Vardanyan has not been provided with the opportunity to fully work with his chosen attorney. These are not merely procedural violations; they have directly deprived Vardanyan of his fundamental right to effective defense.

The principle of equality of arms has not been upheld. Mr. Vardanyan has not been granted a real opportunity to contest the charges against him before a competent, independent, and impartial court. Under such circumstances, the verdict cannot be impartial. The nature of the charges further emphasizes their political essence. Mr. Vardanyan has been held criminally responsible not for proven individual acts, but for his political involvement and public service related to the institutions of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh.

Modern criminal legislation, both domestic and international, does not permit the criminalization of identity, political affiliation, or association with governing institutions without specific and proven criminal acts. The entirety of these violations leads to the unavoidable conclusion that Ruben Vardanyan has been deprived of his right to a fair trial in all respects. His conviction reflects the pattern of policies being carried out against ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and raises deep concerns regarding the rule of law.

Therefore, this trial, like the recent concluded trial against fifteen other Armenians, is also unlawful. We call on international organizations, human rights protection mechanisms, and responsible governments to take urgent and concrete steps to protect the rights of Mr. Vardanyan and other Armenians who are illegally convicted and held in Baku, ensuring their release. The normalization of politically motivated persecutions threatens not only the individuals concerned but also the credibility of the international legal order."