Background

The lead up to
Ruben Vardanyan’s arrest

After implementing an illegal nine month-long blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, which prevented fuel, medicine, and food from entering the region, on September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a bloody military offensive invading the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths and military casualties. This invasion led to the forced displacement of virtually all the 120,000 ethnic Armenians from the region.

As Ruben Vardanyan sought to leave for Armenia together with the remaining Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, the philanthropist, humanitarian, and former State Minister was illegally detained. His arrest is particularly concerning as his high-profile international support of Nagorno-Karabakh has made him a target of the Baku government. Ruben is among the latest residents of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh arbitrarily arrested for political reasons and illegally detained. He has been unlawfully charged with three crimes and faces up to life in prison.

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