On February 17, the military court in Baku sentenced Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years of imprisonment. This verdict was not the product of an independent and impartial judicial process. It was the foreseeable outcome of proceedings driven by political considerations and fundamentally incompatible with the standards of a fair trial.
The verdict by a military court in Azerbaijan is devastating, though not unexpected. From the moment of his arbitrary detention 874 days ago, it became evident that the outcome of this process had been predetermined.
During 168TV’s program “Review,” we spoke with international relations expert, lecturer, and PhD, Ehsan Movahedian.
Armenians are one of the oldest peoples in the world, historically inhabiting our ancestral lands in the South Caucasus. We also practice one of the oldest Christian denominations in the world, dating to 301 AD when Armenia became the first state to adopt Christianity as its national religion. Since then, a vast majority – today nearly 97% – of Armenians are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
During his visit to Armenia, the U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance expressed his support for Nikol Pashinyan ahead of the upcoming elections in Armenia.
During a phone call with his family, Ruben Vardanyan conveyed the content of his final statement at the February 10 hearing. Refusing to participate in what he described as an imitation of justice, Vardanyan spoke about dignity, responsibility, and peace — all of which, he said, are only possible between equals. Below is the transcript of Ruben Vardanyan’s audio message.
Leading independent charitable and humanitarian organizations in Armenia have sent an open letter to the Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance, ahead of his visit to Armenia, urging attention to the plight of Armenian individuals who remain in detention in Azerbaijan.
The “Review” project aired on 168 TV of “168 Hours” hosted John Eibner, an American human rights activist and president Christian Solidarity International (CSI) human rights organization, and Erich Vontobel, a member of the Swiss National Council, during their visit to Yerevan on the topic of “The state of religious freedom and the protection of human rights in Armenia”.
It is ironic that Tecimer thinks it is wrong for the ANCA to criticize Israel for arming Azerbaijan, since the US supports Israel. Meanwhile, Tecimer is doing exactly what she criticizes ANCA for. Since Pres. Erdogan is harshly critical of Israel, she should follow her own advice and not go against the policies of her government.
Dear Mr. Vice President, In your remarkable book “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and a Culture in Crisis,” you wrote about your people: “An intense sense of loyalty, a fierce dedication to family and country.”
