ANC Reports Due Process Violations in Vardanyan Trial
The Region in Brief
The Armenian National Committee released a report on October 27 challenging the legality of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan's conviction and 20-year prison sentence handed down by Baku Military Court in February 2026. The report identified alleged procedural irregularities, including a 14-year sentence for charges not in the original indictment, forensic examinations that did not mention Vardanyan by name, and absence of direct witness testimony against him. The ANC criticized the prosecution of a civilian in military court, exclusion of international defense counsel, and lack of independent observers during approximately 60 hearings. The organization called for Vardanyan's immediate release and that of 20 other Armenians reportedly detained in Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, concerns over Armenian cultural heritage preservation in Artsakh emerged after UNESCO officials stated unfamiliarity with reports of destroyed churches in the region.
