Protest in support of Ruben Vardanyan and other Armenian prisoners held outside ICRC office

Human rights activists, public figures and other people gathered outside the Yerevan office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday to demand efforts to save humanitarian Ruben Vardanyan and protect other Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

“We know that Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s authoritarian leader, ensured that the ICRC had no presence in Stepanakert. However, we cannot accept this as an excuse. The Red Cross is a unique international organization that has consistently demonstrated its ability to do what no other organization can,” stated Larisa Alaverdyan, head of the Against Legal Arbitrariness NGO.

She explained that the protest was sparked by unprecedented human rights violations in Azerbaijan.

“This is not just about the trials of some individuals; it is an assault on international law itself. The fundamental principles of international humanitarian law are not merely being violated—they are being completely rejected by Azerbaijan. We are here today because the current Armenian government is not only failing to take appropriate measures, but its statements and actions effectively align with the genocidal policies of Turkey and Azerbaijan against Armenians,” Alaverdyan emphasized.