Amnesty International slams Baku verdict against Ruben Vardanyan as “mockery of justice”

(Horizon Weekly) — Amnesty International has strongly condemned the prison sentence handed down in Azerbaijan against businessman, philanthropist, and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, describing the proceedings as fundamentally flawed and incompatible with international fair trial standards.

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said the convictions of Vardanyan and 15 other defendants represent a profound failure of justice. Stuthers stated that the decision to prosecute Vardanyan and other civilians before a military court raises serious legal concerns and undermines internationally recognized due process guarantees.

“The convictions are nothing but a mockery of justice,” said Struthers, emphasizing that civilians being tried in military courts is deeply troubling and inconsistent with fair trial principles.

The human rights organization reported that the hearings were effectively closed to public scrutiny and relied on what it described as fabricated evidence. It also noted that court proceedings were conducted in a language the Armenian defendants did not understand and were inadequately translated, raising additional concerns about the defendants’ ability to meaningfully participate in their own defence.

Amnesty International said it had formally requested information from Azerbaijani authorities regarding the trial process and evidentiary basis of the charges, but had not received a response.

In its statement, the organization called on Azerbaijan to uphold its obligations under international human rights law and ensure that all accused individuals are afforded trials that meet internationally recognized legal standards.