Former Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan stated on Facebook that former State Minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan and other Armenian captives are being brutally tortured through staged trials in Azerbaijan. According to Tatoyan, these trials serve as a means of political revenge, an attempt to undermine Armenian national consciousness, deepen internal divisions, and reinforce Azerbaijani power at the expense of Armenian dignity.

“These ‘trials’ aim to legitimize Azerbaijan’s political propaganda, whitewash the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, and create pretexts for aggression against Armenia,” Tatoyan said.

He stressed that Ruben Vardanyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, Davit Babayan, Davit Manukyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, and other Armenian captives must be released immediately, emphasizing that every moment of their detention constitutes a grave crime.

Tatoyan also announced plans to submit targeted appeals with supporting evidence to international organizations and the global community.

Meanwhile, Ruben Vardanyan’s son, Davit Vardanyan, released a video statement calling for resistance against the sham trials in Baku, which he said target not only his father but also other Armenian prisoners.

Ruben Vardanyan has been on a hunger strike for a week. During the latest court hearing, his health reportedly deteriorated sharply.

His international lawyer, Jared Genser, previously stated that Vardanyan’s condition is critically endangered. He urged world leaders, including Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, to condemn the show trial as political and illegal.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed that Azerbaijani authorities are administering psychotropic substances to Artsakh’s former political and military leaders held in Baku’s prison. He cited intelligence reports suggesting this was intended to provoke escalation. Baku has denied these allegations.