Ruben Vardanyan accused of planting mine while in custody

PanARMENIAN.Net - The head of the Country to Live party, Mane Tandilyan, highlighted a statement made in an Azerbaijani court alleging injury from a mine allegedly planted by Ruben Vardanyan in February 2024, despite Vardanyan having been in custody for six months at that time. Tandilyan urged the international community to offer a clear response to what she described as a sham judicial process against Armenians in Baku.

She wrote on her Facebook page that the trial against Ruben Vardanyan continues in Baku, describing the Aliyev regime’s accusations as absurd. One witness claimed he was injured by a mine placed by Vardanyan, despite the fact that Vardanyan had already been imprisoned for half a year by February 2024.

“The international community must provide a clear assessment of this situation and demand the immediate release of Armenian captives,” Tandilyan emphasized.

U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has reportedly told Azerbaijani counterpart Hikmet Hajiyev that captives must be released and a peace treaty with Armenia finalized.

Meanwhile, Ruben Vardanyan’s lawyer, Jared Genser, called on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to carefully examine statements by U.S. President Donald Trump and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.