One Year in Unjust Detention: Ruben Vardanyan and Armenian Leaders Remain Political Prisoners as Global Scrutiny on Azerbaijan Intensifies

Today marks one year since the illegal arrest of Ruben Vardanyan, a well-known Armenian social entrepreneur and philanthropist, along with seven other Armenian leaders by Azerbaijani authorities. These arrests followed Azerbaijan’s military offensive in Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, in September and October 2023. The offensive forced 120,000 ethnic Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh to flee their homes, turning them into refugees almost overnight.

On the evening of September 27 in Yerevan, a united prayer was held at the Church of Saint Anna for the return home of all Armenian prisoners and hostages illegally kept in Baku prison. Among the attendees were Noubar Afeyan, the wife and son of Ruben Vardanyan, and many others.

Those gathered in the church prayed to God for the return of the Armenian prisoners of war and the captured military-political leadership of Artsakh.

The Armenian Report’s Ani Khachatryan was there to capture the prayer and conduct interviews with Mr. Afeyan and Mr. Vardanyan’s son, David.

Ruben Vardanyan’s detention is widely regarded as illegal and unjust. His son, David Vardanyan, expressed the family’s anguish: "My father’s arbitrary detention without any evidence or due process is a clear violation of all international norms and laws." Despite appeals from the international community, including influential figures in the European Parliament, the French Parliament, the UK House of Commons and House of Lords, and the U.S. Congress, Ruben Vardanyan remains in pre-trial detention with no trial date or formal charges brought against him.

International legal counsel Jared Genser, who represents the Vardanyan family, has called attention to the political nature of the case. "A year of detention without trial or concrete evidence demonstrates the political nature of this case," Genser said. "Azerbaijan must respect its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and immediately release Ruben Vardanyan."

The arrests of Vardanyan and the other Armenian leaders came after Azerbaijan launched its military assault on Nagorno-Karabakh. The offensive led to the forced displacement of the entire ethnic Armenian population of the region. Many international human rights organizations, including Freedom House, say that Azerbaijan’s actions in Nagorno-Karabakh amount to ethnic cleansing. Ethnic Armenians, according to these organizations, were subjected to intimidation, deprivation of basic rights, and forced to flee their homes under threat of violence.

Luis Moreno Ocampo, a former prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, has gone further, stating that Azerbaijan’s actions could qualify as genocide under international law. Despite these serious accusations, Azerbaijan has largely ignored international pressure and continues to detain political prisoners, including Vardanyan and his fellow Armenian leaders.

As Azerbaijan prepares to host COP29, the United Nations’ annual climate conference, the country’s human rights record is drawing increasing scrutiny. Azerbaijan’s government has called for a “global truce” ahead of the conference, urging a pause in all ongoing conflicts. However, this call has been met with widespread criticism, with many accusing Azerbaijan of hypocrisy given its ongoing military actions against Armenians and its crackdown on civil society.

Paul Polman, the former Vice-Chair of the UN Global Compact and CEO of Unilever, has voiced concerns about Azerbaijan’s worsening human rights record. "We need to give some signals to the government that we expect immediate actions on restrictions, on access to [COP29], on freedom of the press, and on the releasing of these political prisoners," Polman said during a recent roundtable on human rights and climate action. The event, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week, included participation from experts at organizations such as Freedom House, Transparency International, and Reporters Without Borders.

Azerbaijan’s human rights record has been steadily declining for years. According to Freedom House’s annual Freedom in the World report, Azerbaijan has seen a huge drop in its scores since 2017. Currently, it ranks at just 7 out of 100 points, reflecting severe limits on political and civil rights. Similarly, Transparency International ranks Azerbaijan 154th out of 180 countries in its Corruption Perceptions Index, highlighting widespread corruption, repression of political opponents, and the shrinking of civic freedoms.

Despite the growing international attention and criticism, Azerbaijan continues to detain Ruben Vardanyan and the other Armenian leaders without trial. The global community is calling for their immediate release, but so far, these calls have gone unanswered.

The year-long detention of Ruben Vardanyan and the other Armenian leaders has shown the deep and ongoing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Vardanyan, who briefly served as Nagorno-Karabakh’s Minister of State, has been a vocal critic of Azerbaijan, particularly regarding its treatment of ethnic Armenians and its violations of international law. His arrest and continued detention are seen by many as part of Azerbaijan’s broader efforts to suppress dissent and assert control over Nagorno-Karabakh.

As the world watches Azerbaijan’s preparations for COP29, the spotlight will likely remain on its human rights record. Many international figures and organizations are expected to continue pressuring Azerbaijan to release its political prisoners and improve its treatment of ethnic Armenians. However, the future remains uncertain, and for now, Ruben Vardanyan and the other detained Armenian leaders remain behind bars, waiting for justice.