David Vardanyan, son of imprisoned Armenian philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, has expressed grave concerns over his father's detention in Azerbaijan, describing it as part of a broader campaign of "ethnic cleansing."

Ruben Vardanyan, a prominent figure known for co-founding the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative with George Clooney, faces 42 charges in Azerbaijan, which his son deems a "kangaroo trial" marred by due process violations.

David recounted to GB News that the family learned of Vardanyan's detention through social media on September 27, 2023, suggesting it was a deliberate act by the Azerbaijani government to intimidate Armenian Christians.

He emphasized that his father was apprehended while attempting to leave Nagorno-Karabakh amid a mass exodus of approximately 120,000 Armenians following Azerbaijan's 2023 military offensive. David characterized this displacement, accompanied by the destruction of churches and Christian sites, as "ethnic cleansing."

Despite the challenging circumstances, David noted that his father remains stoic, refraining from complaining about detention conditions to avoid diverting attention from the alleged illegality of the proceedings. Communication with Ruben has been sporadic, limited to brief calls once or twice a week. Previously, the family relied on video messages facilitated by the International Red Cross, but the recent closure of its office in the country has further restricted contact.

David shared the personal impact of his father's imprisonment, revealing that Ruben became a grandfather during his detention but has yet to meet his granddaughter. The family remains hopeful for a future reunion.

Human rights lawyer Jared Genser, speaking from Washington, highlighted that Ruben has been denied access to a Bible, contradicting Azerbaijani claims that the conflict is unrelated to religion. Genser criticized the lack of international media coverage on the issue, noting that global attention has been focused on other conflicts, thereby neglecting the plight of Christians in the region.

Genser also commended former U.S. President Donald Trump for his engagement in advocating for the freedom of Christian Armenians. He contrasted this with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's apparent disinterest in peace efforts. Genser recalled that in October 2023, Trump condemned the events in Nagorno-Karabakh as ethnic cleansing and pledged to protect persecuted Christians and restore peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

He further criticized both Azerbaijani and Armenian authorities for not prioritizing the release of prisoners like Ruben, suggesting that Aliyev views the situation as the culmination of longstanding efforts to ethnically cleanse the region.