The former head of the Artsakh government, who was taken prisoner with Azerbaijan in 2023, went on a hunger strike within his trial in the military court. The photo published by one of the Azeri media outlets this Tuesday shows that he looks very thin, Le Figaro writes.
For those who knew Ruben Vardanyan's healthy and happy face in Armenia and outside his borders, the photo of the prisoner of war published by one of the Azerbaijani state media on Tuesday could not be ignored. The Armenian billionaire living in Russia, who once headed the Artsakh government in 2022, appeared almost a month after the launch of the hunger strike with a stricken face with a false trial.
This benefactor, after the war in 2020, came from Russia to support the people of Nagorno-Karabakh under the threat of Azerbaijan, captured Artsakh during the lightning war in 2023. From January 17, he and 15 other Artsakh leaders, who are also captured, are charged by the Azerbaijani capital Baku Military Court on "Terrorism", "separatism" and "military crimes".
The hearings were not allowed to participate in any journalist, observer or international organization, writes the regular message to the audio in the beginning of his family. The prisoner challenges the leaders of this former Soviet republic, which were 167th in the annual democracy index of The Economist, demanding a fair and transparent trial.
"If you judge, judge professional, public, open, international journalists, observers," said the former head. "I want to say all my compatriots, not all I love, not me and 15 people are judged, but all Armenians". "Artsakh's people and Armenians, we are all united. We will overcome everything, and I am sure that despite all the trials we have expected, "Vardanyan said. His son David Vardanyan, who can sometimes talk to his father.
"Of course, the family is disappointed, but we understand what he is doing, as violations of all Azerbaijani international and national laws are right and must be a problem. My father believes that the hunger strike is the only option, unfortunately, former Artsakh representative Hovhannes Gevorgyan "There is no doubt that the President of Azerbaijan is ready to die for Ruben Vardanyan."
"It's not just a matter of cruelty, it's a matter of strategy. The Azerbaijani government seeks to destroy the symbol, which embodies the struggle for freedom and justice, "said the former 100,000 residents of the country, fully realized, and the right to determine their destiny, in the face of Azerbaijan's deletion policy.
