Grave human rights abuses have come to light in the legal case against Armenian philanthropist and political figure Ruben Vardanyan, currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. According to Siranush Sahakyan, a prominent human rights attorney and representative at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the proceedings are marked by “systemic and egregious violations” of due process and fair trial standards, revealing what she describes as a broader pattern of institutionalized injustice within Azerbaijan’s legal system.
In a detailed legal brief, Sahakyan accuses Azerbaijani authorities of deliberately undermining Vardanyan’s right to due process and a fair trial, highlighting what she says is a pattern of procedural abuse, judicial bias, and disregard for binding international human rights standards.
“The proceedings have created a fundamentally unfair scenario in which the defendant is stripped of any meaningful opportunity to contest the charges or assert his innocence,” Sahakyan said. “The very notion of a fair trial is reduced to a façade.”
Vardanyan, detained since September 2023 and referred to as a political prisoner by numerous international organizations, is being tried before the Baku Military Court, a tribunal that, according to Sahakyan and other legal experts, should have no jurisdiction over civilians under both Azerbaijani and international law.
Despite Azerbaijan’s formal commitment to open trials, the hearings have reportedly been held behind closed doors, barring access to foreign journalists and international observers. Only pro-government media have been allowed in, with court reporting allegedly manipulated to downplay or distort statements made by the defense.
“This is a textbook example of a politically motivated trial masquerading as a legal process,” Sahakyan said, warning that the proceedings fall far short of transparency and judicial impartiality.
The defense claims that Vardanyan was denied essential legal rights from the moment of his detention, including timely notification of charges, access to case materials, translation of legal documents into Russian (a language he understands), and sufficient time to prepare a defense.
Among the violations cited:
- No notification of rights or charges at the time of detention;
- Delayed and incomplete translations of critical legal documents, some of which were only provided hours before hearings;
- Ignored defense motions, including over 20 procedural requests never addressed in court;
- Falsified case files and unsigned or incomplete legal documents;
- Unlawful referral of the case to a military court instead of a civilian jurisdiction.
In one instance, a six-volume indictment in Azerbaijani was handed over in Russian only the night before the initial hearing in January 2025. The defense was granted just 17 working days to review 422 volumes—over 100,000 pages—of case materials. A request for more time was granted, but only by ten days, including public holidays, giving the team just four additional working days.
The legal brief references violations of multiple provisions of the Azerbaijani Criminal Procedure Code as well as international legal frameworks, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
It details how preliminary hearings were held without addressing basic legal requirements, including review of the investigation’s legality, admissibility of evidence, or consideration of witness lists and defense motions. In addition, written decisions were handed to Vardanyan with significant delays, and in some cases, in distorted translations.
“The cumulative effect of these procedural failings is not just an irregular trial—it’s a clear and deliberate denial of justice,” Sahakyan stated.
International institutions, including the European Parliament, the French Senate, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as various NGOs and human rights experts, have recognized Vardanyan as a political prisoner. Many have called for his immediate release, describing his trial as part of a broader campaign by Azerbaijani authorities against ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.
Sahakyan’s legal analysis concludes with an appeal to the international community: “Respect for procedural guarantees is a core element of the rule of law. This case should prompt urgent international scrutiny and pressure on Azerbaijan to meet its obligations under international human rights law.”
The report urges world leaders and international mechanisms to hold Azerbaijan accountable for violations in the Vardanyan case and to advocate for the rights of other Armenian detainees similarly affected.
“This is not just about one man’s freedom. It’s about protecting the integrity of international legal standards and ensuring that politically motivated persecution is not allowed to stand,” Sahakyan emphasized.
