Ruben Vardanyan’s Lawyers Accuse Azerbaijan of Torture and Rights Violations During Imprisonment

Lawyers for Ruben Vardanyan, the former State Minister of the Artsakh Republic, have taken legal action in Azerbaijan, claiming their client has been mistreated and his rights violated while in prison. Vardanyan, who has been detained in Azerbaijan since 2023, is facing harsh conditions, and his legal team argues that his honor, dignity, and reputation have been damaged.

Vardanyan’s legal team has raised serious concerns about his treatment during a hunger strike he initiated in April 2024. According to the lawyers, Vardanyan was subjected to harsh conditions that they describe as torture. During the hunger strike, the former Artsakh minister was allegedly held in a cell where he was forced to stand for long periods, denied access to water for two days, and prohibited from bathing. These claims form a key part of a lawsuit filed by Vardanyan's team in Baku, aiming to address the inhumane treatment he is said to have endured.

The lawyers argue that this treatment not only violates international human rights laws but also contradicts Azerbaijan’s legal obligations. They stress that Vardanyan, despite being a political prisoner, should be afforded the basic rights and dignity of any detainee.

In another legal move, Vardanyan’s team claims that his right to a speedy trial has been violated. Vardanyan has been held in detention for over a year without seeing significant progress in his case. Under international law, individuals accused of crimes are entitled to a prompt trial. However, his lawyers argue that Azerbaijan has delayed the process, prolonging his detention without due process.

The delay in his trial has caused concerns among human rights organizations, who fear that Azerbaijan’s judicial system may be using this tactic to exert pressure on Vardanyan and others like him. His legal team is seeking a court ruling to ensure that the case moves forward without further unnecessary delays.

In a separate case, Vardanyan’s lawyers have also targeted the Azerbaijani newspaper, Baku Worker, for defamation. They claim that the Russian-language newspaper published false information about Vardanyan, which damaged his reputation. The newspaper allegedly spread damaging stories that were not based on facts, painting him in a negative light and further complicating his situation.

The lawsuit aims to restore Vardanyan’s reputation and hold the publication accountable for what his legal team considers slanderous reporting. The lawyers are demanding that the newspaper retract the false stories and issue a public apology.

In their public statement, Vardanyan’s legal team also called on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian prisoners held in connection with the Karabakh conflict. The lawyers urged Azerbaijan to free these prisoners ahead of the COP29 summit, a key diplomatic event expected to address regional security and peacebuilding efforts.

The detainment of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan has been a longstanding issue, with human rights groups repeatedly calling for their release. Vardanyan’s lawyers hope that international pressure will lead to their freedom and highlight their client's case in the broader context of Azerbaijan’s treatment of Karabakh Armenians.

Ruben Vardanyan's case is part of a larger, more complex conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. This area has been the center of decades of tension and fighting, with both sides claiming rights to the territory. Vardanyan, a businessman and former official, has been an outspoken advocate for the rights of the indigenous Armenian people in the region, which may have led to his current imprisonment.

His case has drawn attention from international human rights organizations, who have expressed concern about the conditions of his detention and the broader treatment of ethnic Armenians in Azerbaijani prison. Many see his trial as politically motivated, and his lawyers argue that Azerbaijan’s legal actions against him are part of a broader campaign to silence voices advocating for the Armenian cause.