Ruben Vardanyan's Verdict is a Mockery of Justice: Amnesty International

The director of Eastern Europe and Central Asia for the international human rights organization Amnesty International, Marie Struthers, has described the verdict issued by a Baku court against former Artsakh Prime Minister Ruben Vardanyan as a mockery of justice.

“The conviction of 16 defendants, culminating in the verdict against Ruben Vardanyan, is nothing but a mockery of justice. The fact that Ruben Vardanyan and several other civilians like him have been tried in a military court raises serious concerns and is incompatible with guarantees of a fair trial,” reads the statement from the international human rights organization.

According to Struthers, the victims of the decades-long conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, both in Armenia and Azerbaijan, deserve truth, justice, redress, and guarantees that such crimes will not be repeated. “These convictions are an affront to all victims of crimes under international law,” she noted.

The organization stated that the trials of Ruben Vardanyan and others were conducted in closed hearings, that the cases against them were based on fabricated evidence, and that the court sessions were held in a language incomprehensible to Armenians and were not properly translated.

It was also mentioned that Amnesty International had demanded information from the Azerbaijani authorities regarding the proceedings and evidence, but had not received a response.

“Azerbaijan must fulfill its obligations under international human rights law and ensure that all individuals accused of crimes are tried in full compliance with international law and fair trial standards,” the organization’s statement concluded.

It is noteworthy that a Baku court had previously announced a verdict against Ruben Vardanyan in a fabricated criminal case, sentencing him to 20 years in prison. The prosecuting attorney had requested life imprisonment for him.

Additionally, Ruben Vardanyan was illegally arrested by Azerbaijani law enforcement on September 27, 2023, and taken to Baku following Azerbaijan's military aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh. He has been charged with several fabricated offenses in Azerbaijan.