Former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Ruben Vardanyan, who is imprisoned in Baku, announced the end of a 23-day hunger strike, which was an attempt to draw attention to the injustice of the process.
During a phone call, Vardanyan conveyed two audio messages through his family, one of which was published today, and the second will be released on March 16.
'I had several reasons for doing this, declaring a hunger strike: to show that there is no court, but a trial; to show that it is not me being judged, but all Armenians and the state itself; and to show the price that had to be paid by all those who would have been happy to stay and live here, rather than leave,' said Vardanyan.
'During the process, two Armenian-Artsakh residents living in Stepanakert testified against me, asserting various, very incorrect things. And yet they had never seen me in their lives, while they themselves were in a very terrible state, but nevertheless, they testified in court, and I felt very sorry for them,' added Vardanyan, describing the process against him.
The former state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh said that he would next speak publicly only at the final court session and only if representatives of the international community are present.
On March 13, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning Azerbaijan's inhumane treatment of Armenian prisoners and demanding their immediate release. The document, titled 'The Illegal Detention of Armenian Prisoners, Including High-Ranking Political Representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh, and Their Fabricated Trials in Azerbaijan,' was supported by 523 parliamentarians, with three votes 'against' and 84 abstentions.
'In Azerbaijan, 23 Armenian hostages are held in custody, including former officials of de facto Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as prisoners of war from the 2020 war and the subsequent ethnic cleansing. They are subjected to sham trials, facing serious charges that could lead to illegal sentences up to life imprisonment,' the resolution states.
Ruben Vardanyan and 15 other former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh were detained by Azerbaijani forces in September 2023 when they attempted to leave the region along with the entire population fleeing Azerbaijan's military aggression. In January, trials began in Baku against the former officials, who are charged with terrorism, creating 'illegal armed formations,' and illegal border crossing.
Photo: Aida Vardanyan