“In order also to reach out to peace, we have to make a distinction between freedom of expression deprivation in a national framework or in an international framework, a national framework, it depends, always by the government. So it’s a decision what kind of behaviors or statements are denied and what not. So what we can do in this case is to create dialog with institutions and also create dialog between international organizations and governments, or between governments.”
The 26th session of the judicial farce against Ruben Vardanyan will continue today at the Baku Military Court.
The cumulative procedural violations outlined above demonstrate unequivocally that Mr Ruben Vardanyan has not been afforded a fair opportunity to defend himself before a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal. He has been denied access to essential case materials, stripped of his fundamental procedural rights, and isolated from international observation and support.
Dr. Pietro Shakarian, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of History at the National Research University – Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg and a returning lecturer at the American University of Armenia, responded to Prime Minister Pashinyan’s statement that he sees “no problem” with Turkey potentially pursuing the idea of Greater Turan. Shakarian recalled key historical events, emphasizing that the concept behind the “Turan” project originates from the goal of permanently exterminating the Armenian people from their historical homeland.
Armenia deserves better. Its people deserve a leadership that understands the difference between reconciliation and capitulation. A future worthy of our history will not begin in Ankara. It will begin when we reclaim our voice, restore our dignity, and demand a just peace—one that honors sacrifice, upholds sovereignty, and reflects the true will of the Armenian nation.
Azerbaijan has recently moved to strike a peace deal with Armenia after violently recapturing the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. But continued fighting between the two countries might be more likely than peace, and other transnational threats continue to lurk beneath the surface. For one, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev retains visions of territorial expansion through a creeping invasion of Armenia’s southern border. And the tentacles of Azerbaijan’s business dealings should raise alarms throughout the international financial system.
In the exercise of my professional duties as an attorney, I find it necessary to comment on certain legal aspects of the current criminal case, guided solely by the principles of legality and fairness in judicial proceedings.
168.am, in collaboration with the Global Campus of Human Rights (GCHR), has launched a new interview series addressing pressing human rights issues.
And finally, which is no less important, I am grateful to the international Christian solidarity organization to organize a fixed support to the Artsakh issue and to organize this important meeting.
Through exploiting Artsakh’s commercial, institutional, and natural resources, and assets, vis a vis these new campaigns, Azerbaijan continues to misappropriate Armenian (and world cultural heritage sites), artifacts, and tangible, as well as intangible cultural treasures and traditions. The erasure of an entire people is now being whitewashed, commodified, and rebranded under the guise of tourism, academia, and business ventures.
