Wife of Armenian POW Ruben Vardanyan Calls for International Humanitarian Mission to Azerbaijan

Veronika Zonabend, the wife of Armenian businessman and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, has announced plans to organize an international women's humanitarian delegation to Azerbaijan, citing what she describes as a growing humanitarian vacuum surrounding Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijani custody.

In a public appeal, Zonabend said her husband has remained in detention since September 2023 and has been separated from his family for years, including missing the births of his granddaughters.

However, she stressed that her appeal extends beyond her husband's case.

According to Zonabend, 18 other Armenians remain imprisoned in Azerbaijan, many of whom have been unable to communicate with their families for years. She said some detainees have not received letters, photographs, or other forms of contact from loved ones, leaving families without reliable information about their relatives' well-being.

She argued that the issue should be viewed not only through a political or diplomatic lens, but as a humanitarian one affecting families who continue to wait for news of husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, and grandfathers.

Zonabend expressed concern that, following the closure of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office in Baku, families of Armenian detainees have been left without regular independent humanitarian access to those being held. She also noted that existing international mechanisms intended to protect detainees have become increasingly limited in practice.

Citing what she called an absence of effective institutional oversight, Zonabend announced her intention to lead an international women's humanitarian delegation to Baku in the coming weeks.

She appealed directly to Azerbaijan's Human Rights Commissioner, Sabina Aliyeva, requesting assistance in facilitating the visit, arranging meetings with Armenian detainees held at the Umbaki Penitentiary Complex, and enabling the transfer of family letters, photographs, care packages, and other items permitted under Azerbaijani law.

"For those who are imprisoned, this will serve as a reminder: they have not been forgotten," Zonabend wrote.

She described the proposed mission as a humanitarian effort rather than a political initiative, arguing that maintaining contact between detainees and their families is essential for preserving human dignity and building the foundations for lasting peace.

Zonabend also announced the launch of an international letter-writing campaign in support of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan. Over the coming weeks, supporters are being invited to send messages of solidarity, which organizers hope to deliver alongside family packages as part of the planned humanitarian visit.

"Even where politics has destroyed trust, there remains space for a human gesture," Zonabend said, expressing hope that compassion and humanitarian principles can prevail despite the ongoing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The names of the women expected to participate in the delegation will be announced at a later date.

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