Baku presents contradictory testimony against Vardanyan

PanARMENIAN.Net - The trial of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan continued in Baku’s military court. He has been on a 22-day hunger strike in protest against what he calls a judicial farce.

Published photos show him looking severely emaciated.

According to Azerbaijani media, an unidentified Armenian resident of Karabakh has testified against Vardanyan. However, neither the name nor the surname of the witness is mentioned, and their statements contradict each other.

The witness claimed that Ruben Vardanyan arrived in Karabakh sometime after the end of the 44-day war, Minval.az reports.

"I don’t know if he came from Russia or somewhere else," the witness stated.

According to the testimony, Vardanyan allegedly “financed the creation of armed groups consisting of individuals aged 45-50 and involved them in combat operations against Azerbaijan.”

However, the witness also contradicted themselves by stating, “many young people joined these groups.”

"Many young people joined these formations. I was curious why a globally known businessman and oligarch, Ruben Vardanyan—I’m not saying he is my enemy—left his business and came to Karabakh," the witness reportedly said, according to Azerbaijani media.

The court then read the initial testimony that the "witness" had provided to Azerbaijan’s State Security Service during the preliminary investigation, which the witness confirmed.

Former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, currently imprisoned in Baku on fabricated charges, sent an audio message through his family. He emphasized that he has always acted in accordance with his moral principles and never betrayed them, even in the most difficult moments.

"I was fully aware of what I was getting into, and I was prepared for even worse conditions. I am not a victim, and I don’t need pity—this was a conscious decision," he said.