The Armenian National Platform (ANP) of the EaP Civil Society Forum on Monday, March 3, issued the following statement on the need to restore the rights of Armenian prisoners tortured during illegal trials in Azerbaijan.
“Following the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh in 2020, numerous prisoners of war, both citizens of the Republic of Armenia and ethnic Armenians, are being held in prisons in Baku and other Azerbaijani cities. The official number of prisoners confirmed by Baku is 23, but human rights activists have factual evidence of the capture of at least 80 people.
The Baku dictatorship committed numerous acts of violation of fundamental human rights during and in the aftermath of the 44-day war. The internationally recognized crimes of the 9-month blockade of the civilian population of Artsakh, genocidal acts of ethnic cleansing, and forced displacement have been augmented by the illegal, mockery of justice trial of the military and political leaders of the occupied Republic of Artsakh in Baku. The prisoners are exposed to abuse and psychological torture in Baku, and the trial of the internationally renowned philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan has turned into a Stalinist retaliation.
Even before the trial, in a phone conversation with his family, Ruben Vardanyan presented the legal and procedural violations being committed against him. The procedural fraud taking place in Baku these days with the most gross violations of human rights is devoid of the elements of justice: the fundamental principles of fair trial are blatantly ignored, and there are manifestations of brutality, degradation, and torture of a person. Ruben Vardanyan and all other hostages and captives are being brutally tortured in orchestrated trials for the purposes of revenge by the Azerbaijani authorities, attainment of political goals and self-assertion at the expense of the dignity of the Armenian people, and belittlement of the national consciousness of the Armenian people.
In protest against the unlawful trial, Ruben Vardanyan went on a hunger strike on February 20. On February 26, during a regular court proceeding, his well-being deteriorated, and the proceeding was interrupted. “My father was subjected to torture,” Ruben Vardanyan’s son, David Vardanyan, said in his video message and called for a fight against the show trials of Armenians illegally incarcerated in Baku. Horrifying details have surfaced that Ruben Vardanyan’s head was tied with iron, squeezed, and tormented. Doctors declare that the current situation poses a direct threat to Ruben Vardanyan’s life. Guided by the principles of medical ethics and the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, they demand urgent intervention by international humanitarian and medical organizations.
The ongoing crimes committed by the Azerbaijani authorities are an egregious violation of international law, in particular the Geneva Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, human rights conventions, and treaties, and undermine efforts aimed at regional stability. Therefore, we, the member organizations of the EaP CSF ANP,
• condemn the sham trials orchestrated by Baku;
• call on the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, all embassies operating in the Republic of Armenia, all Diaspora Armenian organizations, as well as the international community, in particular the EaP CSF, the EaP CSF Azerbaijan National Platform, the members of the UN Security Council, the OSCE, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the leaders of all G7 member states, to take immediate action to condemn the illegal policy of the Baku dictatorial regime and demand the protection of the rights of Ruben Vardanyan and other Armenian prisoners, the cessation of inhuman treatment of them and their release;
• appeal to civil society organizations around the world, in particular to the International Committee of the Red Cross and international human rights organizations, to speak out about these egregious crimes, and to jointly support the restoration of the rights of Ruben Vardanyan and other Armenian prisoners and their immediate release.
We appeal to the family and lawyers of international humanist, philanthropist, and public figure Ruben Vardanyan, with a request to convey him our urge to end his hunger strike. In his own humanistic words addressed to us from Baku prison, “to stand strong, endure, and believe in the victory of truth,” one must be healthy and continue to persevere.”