What Ruben Vardanyan Actually Said During the Farcical Trial in Baku
During a phone conversation with his family, Ruben Vardanyan conveyed the content of his final statement at the hearing on February 10.
Refusing to participate in an imitation of justice, Ruben Vardanyan spoke about dignity, responsibility, and about peace that is possible only between equals.
Below is the full version of his final statement, available in text format and as an audio recording with English subtitles.
“On the 10th, I delivered my final statement in court. I barred my lawyer from presenting any defense arguments, because I did not believe this was a real court, but rather a show trial. There was no genuine possibility of a fair judicial process. As a result, despite intense pressure from the judges, my lawyer remained silent and presented no arguments whatsoever. I myself spoke only briefly. I will not repeat what I said in December – I have already expressed my core views. However, I did read one important poem, which I would like to share with you. In fact, I read two poems. Now, I want to read one poem that relates even more to Armenia than to the place where I am now.
This poem was written in the early 16th century by the Azerbaijani poet Fuzuli.
A ruler of golden lands buys people with silver,
He raises armies to seize another country.
With countless schemes and cunning tricks he conquers it,
Yet even there, there is no peace, no joy.
And in that fatal hour, when fate takes its turn,
The ruler himself perishes – along with the country and millions of lives.
Look: here I stand – a ruler, a dervish, strong with armies of words.
The thunderous word is the source of my victory.
See: every word of mine is a giant, drawing strength from truth.
If a word so wills it, sea and land will submit.
Wherever I send it, a word knows neither honor nor riches;
A word that conquers a country imprisons no one.
No force in the universe can erase my word,
No treacherous wheel of fate can crush it.
Let the rulers of the world grant me no rewards –
I carry a crown in my head, modest and self-carved.
I am free in everything. Whoever you are, my listener,
Do not become a servant for a crust of perishable bread.*
And not even for trains filled with gasoline. What I said – and what I want to repeat – is this: we must understand that a long road toward peace lies ahead of us. It will be extremely difficult.
We will have to undergo a deep inner renewal and restore ourselves first and foremost. Because peace, I want to emphasize once again, is possible only when there are two equal neighbors.
If one side humiliates itself before the other, nothing will work. There will be no peace. I hope we come to realize that everything depends solely on us – on our ability to restore our being, reclaim our self-respect, and preserve our reason, while understanding that we truly need to live in this region in peace. In court, I said it three times, even as they tried to interrupt me: Artsakh was, Artsakh is, and Artsakh will be – existentially. It was, it is, and it will be.
And the issue is not one of legal form. It is about the fact that this cannot simply be erased by anyone. I believe this deeply. I said that I will do everything possible so that, within our lifetime– within my lifetime, I hope – the three leaders of the three sides involved in the conflict will lay flowers on the graves of those who died, regardless of nationality or religion, and apologize to all mothers for their fallen children. I hope that one day this will happen, and that it will be done with respect – for everyone, and for one another.
And I said that I am proud to represent the Armenian people here, in this court. I am not afraid of any punishment or decision and am ready to accept it calmly – because this is not a court, but a show trial.
Unfortunately, they did not take advantage of the opportunity to conduct a genuine judicial process that could have laid the foundation for long-term peace. Instead, they staged an incomprehensible and unprofessional spectacle that, regrettably, benefited no one – first and foremost, the Azerbaijani state itself. I am convinced of this.”
*Technical translation of the poem; a literary translation is available only in Russian.
