Baku proceeds with Ruben Vardanyan trial, rejects request

PanARMENIAN.Net - On February 13, the trumped-up trial of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan will continue in Baku.

During the previous session, the final part of the indictment was read. Due to the document’s extensive volume, the court decided to continue its reading in the next session, reports Trend.

In the last hearing, Vardanyan accused the court of bias, arguing that Baku’s military tribunal judges were motivated by his prosecution. He filed an objection against the court’s composition, which was subsequently denied.

Earlier, Siranuish Sahakyan, a lawyer representing Armenian prisoners at the ECHR, disclosed details about Vardanyan’s trial based on information conveyed by his local attorney. According to her, aside from the fact that the fabricated case consists of 422 volumes in Azerbaijani, it was revealed that the translator assigned to him—who was supposed to provide at least an oral translation of the case materials (since written translation or even note-taking is prohibited)—failed to deliver accurate translations, making severe mistakes.

Vardanyan’s case is being handled separately. He faces around 45 new charges under 20 articles of Azerbaijan’s criminal code, with a possible life sentence. On January 27, the court rejected his request for house arrest.

On January 16, Vardanyan stated that since his arrest, he has provided no testimony other than his name. He emphasized that all documents signed in his name are falsified and confirmed that he, his lawyer, and his interpreter have been subjected to pressure.