Yerevan /Mediamax/. The family of Ruben Vardanyan, illegally detained in Azerbaijan, announced today that he entered into a hunger strike to demand the immediate and unconditional release of himself and the other Armenian prisoners illegally held in Baku.

The hunger strike began on April 5, 2024, following repeated requests by Vardanyan and counsel to provide a fair and transparent trial in a timely manner in line with international legal standards.  Tellingly, since his hunger strike began, his family’s phone calls with him have been cut off, in clear violation of all international norms.  The original trial slated for January was extended without cause to May.

“I am deeply concerned about the health and well-being of my father. For nearly 200 days, my family has not seen my father.  We have had absolutely no contact with him since he launched his hunger strike on April 5th,” said David Vardanyan, the eldest son of Ruben Vardanyan.

“The illegal detention of Ruben and the other former leaders of Artsakh is an egregious abuse of human rights and the international justice system and must be ended. The irony of this entire situation is that Azerbaijan has been selected to host COP 29 in a blatant attempt to “greenwash” their international reputation. COP has a major focus on the interconnectivity of climate change and human rights at a time when they are abusing both in plain sight,” said Paul Polman, Selection Committee member of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

Ruben Vardanyan’s family demands that:

1.    All illegally detained ethnic Armenian prisoners, including Ruben Vardanyan should be released immediately and unconditionally. 

2.     Should the illegal trials proceed, they must happen before the prisoners’ detention orders expire in May, must meet global legal standards, and international observers and media must be allowed to attend.

3.    The Azeri government must allow immediate access of the International Red Cross to assess the wellbeing of Ruben and the other prisoners. The family’s access to telephone calls with Ruben Vardanyan must be restored.

4.     Any peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan must include the release of all ethnic Armenian prisoners.

5.    COP 29 should not proceed in Azerbaijan without these steps occurring.