Billionaire Ruben Vardanyan, a former minister in the government of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and former Russian citizen who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Azerbaijan, has appealed to the Armenian Ombudsman, Anahit Manasyan, through his family. While in a Baku prison, Vardanyan reported his recent meeting with the Azerbaijani Ombudsman, Sabina Aliyeva.
During their conversation, the prisoner raised issues of a domestic, medical, legal, humanitarian, and diplomatic nature regarding the conditions of Armenian prisoners. Aliyeva, in turn, informed him that the possibility of a visit by the Armenian Ombudsman to Baku is being considered, and the Azerbaijani side is prepared to organize it. Vardanyan asks Manasyan to consider the possibility of such a visit, as well as a visit by the relatives of Armenian prisoners. His wife, Veronika Zonabend, expressed her willingness to participate in such a trip, as did, presumably, representatives of other families.
According to Vardanyan's words, as conveyed by his family members, the delegation must be institutionalized, consistent, and have the political support of the Armenian Prime Minister.
As a reminder, Ruben Vardanyan was sentenced on February 17 in Baku to 20 years for participating in the war against Azerbaijan, financing terrorism, and deporting the population. Other high-ranking officials of the former NKR also received long and life sentences.
