Former head of Nagorno-Karabakh Ruben Vardanyan was charged with 45 new charges in Azerbaijan

He faces a life sentence

The Azerbaijani prosecutor's office brought 45 new charges under 20 articles of the criminal code against the former head of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, billionaire Ruben Vardanyan. Radio Liberty writes about this.

Based on the totality of charges, the politician faces life imprisonment. The case materials are presented on 25 thousand pages in 100 volumes. In a statement, the group of lawyers said they were “hidden not only from the public, but also from Vardanyan himself on the grounds that the charges relate to the “national security of Azerbaijan.” The businessman and his defense are limited in their right to prepare for trial and build a defense, they added.

Ruben Vardanyan is the former owner of the Troika Dialog investment company and the founder of Skolkovo. In 2022, Vardanyan announced his decision to renounce Russian citizenship and move to the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. On November 4, 2022, he became the Prime Minister of Karabakh. In February 2023, he left this post.

Azerbaijani border guards detained Vardanyan in September last year after the outbreak of hostilities in Karabakh. The next day he was arrested and charged with “financing terrorism” and “creating illegal military formations.” In early April, the politician went on a hunger strike to protest his persecution.

On September 19 last year, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan announced the start of “anti-terrorist measures” of a local nature in Nagorno-Karabakh. After a day and a half of fighting, Azerbaijani authorities reported that the army had “successfully completed all assigned tasks in Nagorno-Karabakh and restored the sovereignty” of their country.

On September 28, the head of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Samvel Shahramanyan, signed a decree to terminate its existence and dissolve all government institutions.