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“A Liar, Fantasist and Plagiarist”: Ruben Vardanyan Unleashes Sharp Attack on Pashinyan From Azerbaijani Prison Ahead of Election
On his 57th birthday — the third birthday he has spent in Azerbaijani captivity — former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan released a new audio message from prison in Baku, delivering sharp criticism of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan just weeks before Armenia’s high-stakes parliamentary elections and warning about what he described as growing dangers facing the Armenian state. The message, recorded in Armenian during a phone conversation with his family from pri
The Armenian Report Team
May 25
International Human Rights Defenders Nominate Armenian POW and Philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan for Prestigious Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
Ruben Vardanyan, the former State Minister of Artsakh who is currently being held in a prison in Baku, has been nominated for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize by a group of international human rights defenders and humanitarian figures. According to the statement released by the nominating group, the nomination is based on Vardanyan’s contributions to global human rights efforts through the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, as well as his public advocacy for the rights o
The Armenian Report Team
May 18
POW Ruben Vardanyan Transferred to Penitentiary Facility in Azerbaijan
Ruben Vardanyan, the former state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, has been transferred to a penitentiary facility in Azerbaijan following his conviction earlier this year — a new phase in his detention, according to his legal representative. Human rights attorney Siranush Sahakyan confirmed in an interview with The Armenian Report that Vardanyan, along with other Armenian detainees, was moved in the past week from a pre-trial detention facility run by Azerbaijan’s State Securit
The Armenian Report Team
Apr 28
Ruben Vardanyan Urges Armenian Authorities to Secure Family Visits for POWs in Azerbaijan
From a prison cell in Baku, Ruben Vardanyan has called on Armenian authorities to take steps to secure family visits for Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan. His message was shared through relatives following a phone call and made public on Tuesday. In his appeal, Vardanyan addressed Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan. He said that Azerbaijan’s ombudsperson Sabina Aliyeva had told him that a possible meeting between the two officials could take place in Baku in
The Armenian Report Team
Apr 21
Armenian POW Ruben Vardanyan Unable to Reach Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Defender as Prison Call Is Abruptly Stopped
Armenian POW Ruben Vardanyan attempted to make a public appeal to Azerbaijan’s Ombudsperson Sabina Aliyeva during a phone call with his family on March 13, but the call was forcibly interrupted, according to a statement released by his family. The family said Vardanyan decided to address the ombudsperson publicly after repeated attempts to establish contact had failed. According to the statement, for the previous ten days efforts were made to reach the ombudsperson through hi
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 16
Ruben Vardanyan Sentenced to 20 Years in Azerbaijani Military Court in Sham Trial
The Baku Military Court has sentenced former Artsakh State Minister and businessman Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison, in a trial widely condemned as a sham judicial process targeting Armenians. Azerbaijani media reported the verdict, which came after a trial criticized for ignoring basic legal standards. Azerbaijani state prosecutors had demanded life imprisonment for Vardanyan. Under Azerbaijani law, life imprisonment can be avoided for individuals over 65 years old. Va
The Armenian Report Team
Feb 17
“I Am Proud to Represent the Armenian People”: Armenian POW Ruben Vardanyan Speaks Defiantly in Baku Court
On February 10, the final hearing of what is described as Ruben Vardanyan’s staged trial took place in Baku. Today his family shared an audio recorded speech from Ruben Vardanyan that detailed what he said in court and why he refused to take part in the sham legal process as it unfolded. According to the message he delivered by phone, Vardanyan instructed his lawyer not to present any defense arguments. He said he viewed the proceedings as a judicial farce and believed there
The Armenian Report Team
Feb 11
“Artsakh Was, Is, and Will Be”: Ruben Vardanyan’s Message from Azerbaijani Captivity
Ruben Vardanyan, the Armenian philanthropist and co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, has once again spoken from captivity in Azerbaijan, sending a powerful message through a phone call with his eldest son, David Vardanyan. Despite being unlawfully held in Baku for over a year, Vardanyan’s words remain firm and filled with hope for Armenia and Artsakh. During the brief conversation, he asked his son to deliver three simple but meaningful messages: “Artsakh was, i
The Armenian Report Team
Nov 5, 2025
Ruben Vardanyan, Illegally Detained in Azerbaijan, Concludes His Active Role in Aurora Humanitarian Initiative
Ruben Vardanyan, co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, has announced the end of his active participation in the organization. Vardanyan, a well-known philanthropist and humanitarian, is currently being held illegally in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. He shared his message through his wife, Veronika Zonabend, on the occasion of the initiative’s 10th anniversary. In his message to the Leadership and Friends of Aurora, Vardanyan expressed his gratitude to those who
The Armenian Report Team
Nov 4, 2025
Ruben Vardanyan Rejects Lawyer, Says Fair Trial in Azerbaijan Is Impossible
Armenian philanthropist and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan has refused legal defense in the ongoing court proceedings against him in Azerbaijan, citing violations of international and domestic legal standards. According to a statement released through his family on October 22, 2025, Vardanyan explained that his decision was driven by the “lack of conditions for his lawyer to carry out professional duties” and by “violations of legal norms.” He said the circumst
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 22, 2025
Ocampo Exposes UN Judge’s Ties to Azerbaijan: Conflict of Interest Undermines UN Decision on Ruben Vardanyan’s Case
A new investigation by the first Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, has revealed a serious conflict of...
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 7, 2025
Baku Court Rejects Ruben Vardanyan’s Motion to Question Pashinyan
The recent hearings in Baku against philanthropist and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan reveal once again how Azerbaijan...
The Armenian Report Team
Sep 17, 2025
Ruben Vardanyan’s Rights ‘Grossly Violated’ in Baku Court, Legal Report Finds
The legal case against Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian philanthropist and political figure unlawfully detained by Azerbaijani authorities...
The Armenian Report Team
Jul 11, 2025
Azerbaijan Rejects Ruben Vardanyan’s Appeal Without Review in Politically-Motivated Imprisonment
The so-called “court” in Baku has once again denied justice to Ruben Vardanyan, the former State Minister of Artsakh and a respected...
The Armenian Report Team
Jun 3, 2025
International Experts Blocked from Armenian POW Trials in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has blocked international diplomats, human rights defenders, and independent researchers from observing the trials of Armenian...
The Armenian Report Team
May 6, 2025
Ruben Vardanyan’s Son Calls on Trump to Defend Armenian Christians in Fox News Op-Ed
For more than 550 days, Armenian philanthropist and businessman Ruben Vardanyan has been held in an Azerbaijani prison—without fair...
The Armenian Report Team
May 2, 2025
Dr. Tom Catena Sends Urgent Message from Sudan, Calling for Release of Ruben Vardanyan and Armenian Captives
Dr. Tom Catena, a renowned humanitarian and winner of the 2017 Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, has issued a grave appeal to the...
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 17, 2025
Ruben Vardanyan Ends Hunger Strike, Says He Will Speak Only If the World Watches
During a phone call relayed through his family, Ruben Vardanyan sent two audio messages from a Baku prison. He requested that one be...
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 13, 2025
Protesters in Berlin Urge European Leaders to Act Against Azerbaijan’s Detention of Armenian Prisoners
Photo Credit: voleemor Human rights organizations, activists, and concerned citizens gathered at the Brandenburg Gate today, urging...
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 11, 2025
Is Azerbaijan Fabricating Armenian Witnesses to Convict Ruben Vardanyan?
An Azerbaijani military court resumed the sham trial of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan on March 11. Vardanyan, who has...
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 11, 2025
