Armenian philanthropist and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan has refused legal defense in the ongoing court proceedings against him in Azerbaijan, citing violations of international and domestic legal standards.
According to a statement released through his family on October 22, 2025, Vardanyan explained that his decision was driven by the “lack of conditions for his lawyer to carry out professional duties” and by “violations of legal norms.” He said the circumstances of the trial have made it impossible to mount a proper defense.
Here is the translation (from Russian) of his statement:
Ruben Vardanyan, through his family, conveyed a statement regarding his refusal of legal counsel due to the lack of conditions for the lawyer’s work and violations of legal norms.
“During the court hearing on October 21, I announced that I was refusing the services of my lawyer, Avraam Berman. This decision was forced. The gross violations of international and Azerbaijani judicial norms throughout the current proceedings have turned the hearings into an outright farce. Under these conditions, all procedural possibilities for defense have been exhausted over the past months.
- I was not allowed to familiarize myself with the case materials or the indictment. Access to these materials is still being denied: I still cannot review the 422 volumes of my case, and the court has not provided an official translation of key procedural documents.
- I was not given the opportunity to defend myself in court. I could not exchange documents with my lawyer for trial preparation freely and without prior screening, nor did I have access to audio or video materials.
- All my previous motions have been ignored by the investigative bodies and the court. Important requests from my lawyer, necessary for a fair trial, were also left unanswered.
- Another reason for my refusal of legal counsel, as a protest against this staged trial, was the court’s refusal to summon witnesses who could clarify the circumstances of the case and confirm facts relevant to the defense. By rejecting this motion, the court finally deprived the process of any semblance of objectivity and fairness.
Over time, the situation has only worsened. In this theater of the absurd, the role of the lawyer—regardless of his intentions and efforts—has been reduced to maintaining the illusion of legality in the judicial process. I refuse to participate in this farce. I do not need the illusion of defense—I demand the genuine observance of my procedural rights.”
Ruben Vardanyan
How the official Azerbaijani media reported the dismissal
The Azerbaijan State News Agency, AZERTAC, on October 21 reported:
“The court proceedings in the criminal case against Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan, charged under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan with crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism, financing of terrorism, and other serious offenses, continued on October 21.” […]
“Subsequently, Ruben Vardanyan applied to the court, stating his desire to have a confidential meeting with his defense attorney, Avraam Berman.
“The court granted the petition and announced a short recess in the proceedings.
“After the recess, the accused, Ruben Vardanyan, submitted another petition to the court, stating that he was waiving his right to his defense attorney, Avraam Berman.
“While justifying his petition, the accused reiterated the statements he had made at previous court hearings, noting that he was dissatisfied with the court proceedings in general and was therefore waiving his defense attorney.
“Defense attorney Avraam Berman stated that he left the decision on whether to grant the petition to the court’s discretion.
“Commenting on the petition, Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General, Vusal Aliyev, stated that the accused did not specify the reason for waiving his defense attorney, but he has the right to do so. However, it should be noted that, according to legal requirements, the accused generally cannot waive a defense attorney. In the current situation, if Ruben Vardanyan is waiving his defense attorney, Avraam Berman, he must either engage another lawyer or, if he lacks the financial means, another lawyer must be appointed by the state to defend his rights.
“Ruben Vardanyan stated that he does not have a contract with another lawyer and noted that he has no objections to a defense attorney being appointed by the state.
“After hearing the opinions of the parties, the court deliberated on the spot and made a decision.
“According to the decision, Ruben Vardanyan’s waiver of his defense attorney, Avraam Berman, was accepted.
“The decision to provide the accused with a state-appointed defense attorney was sent to the Bar Association of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
?The court proceedings have been postponed. The next hearing is scheduled for October 28.”
