A court in Azerbaijan arrested Vardanyan for four months

A court in Azerbaijan arrested the former minister of state of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Ruben Vardanyan for four months. About it reported RIA Novosti with reference to the decision of the Sabail Court in Baku.

According to the agency, Vardanyan has been charged with financing terrorism. Azerbaijani agency Turan with reference to the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan writesthat Vardanyan was also charged with creating illegal armed groups and illegally crossing the border of Azerbaijan.

Ruslan Veliyev, director of the law firm “Ruslan Veliyev and Partners” at the Azerbaijan Bar Association, told Vedomosti that we could be talking about Art. 214-1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (financing of terrorism), according to which Vardanyan faces 10 to 14 years in prison. Art. 279 of the Criminal Code (creation of armed formations) provides for imprisonment for a term of three to eight years or from 12 to 20 years (in aggravated circumstances). According to Art. 318 of the Criminal Code (illegal border crossing) provides for a fine of up to 3,000 manats (about $1,760) or imprisonment of up to five years.

Vardanyan was detained on September 27 at the Azerbaijani border while trying to travel from Karabakh to Armenia. The Azerbaijani border service clarified that Vardanyan was taken to Baku and handed over to “the relevant government authorities to make an appropriate decision.”

In the fall of 2022, Vardanyan announced his decision to renounce Russian citizenship and move to Nagorno-Karabakh. Vardanyan explained his move with a desire to support local residents who are “in a difficult psychological state.”

On September 19, Azerbaijan began “anti-terrorist measures” in Nagorno-Karabakh. The very next day, the Karabakh authorities announced the conclusion of agreements on a complete ceasefire. Later, negotiations were held in Yevlakh between the delegation of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh and representatives of the Azerbaijani authorities, after which the Karabakh military began to surrender their weapons. On September 28, the President of the unrecognized NKR Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree on the termination of its existence from January 1, 2024 and the dissolution of all state institutions and organizations.