“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:

1. “Artsakh was, is, and will be.”

   
   

2. “Believe in yourself — as a part of God, of goodness and of light.”

   
   

3. “A true hero is the one who can kindle hope where there is no ray of hope — the one who becomes a support for others when they have lost their faith.”

   
   

These words, shared from behind prison walls, show Vardanyan’s unbroken spirit and unwavering belief in the Armenian nation and the future of Artsakh. His first message — “Artsakh was, is, and will be” — continues to echo the conviction of thousands of Armenians who were forcibly displaced or imprisoned following the 2023 Azerbaijani attack on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Ruben Vardanyan was abducted by Azerbaijani forces in September 2023 while trying to leave Artsakh through the Lachin Corridor, along with thousands of civilians fleeing Azerbaijani occupation. Since then, he has been held in a Baku prison under false charges. International organizations and human rights groups have repeatedly called for his immediate release, stressing that his detention violates international humanitarian law.

Vardanyan’s trial in Baku has been widely condemned as politically motivated. Azerbaijani authorities accuse him of “financing terrorism” and “illegal border crossing,” charges viewed as part of Baku’s campaign to punish Artsakh’s former leaders and silence Armenian voices. The court proceedings have been closed to international observers, raising further concerns about transparency and fair trial standards.

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