Vardanyan's wife asked Pashinyan to help in visiting prisoners in Baku.
Veronika Zonabend, the wife of the former state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Ruben Vardanyan, appealed to international organizations and the authorities of Armenia to assist in visiting Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on February 17, the Baku military court sentenced Ruben Vardanyan, the former state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, to 20 years in prison, with his case being considered separately. The defendant, who led the Karabakh government for only a few months during the blockade of the Lachin corridor, was found guilty of war crimes. Vardanyan refused to file an appeal, explaining that he does not recognize the verdict as an act of justice.
In the fall of 2023, after the completion of Azerbaijan's military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the establishment of control over the territory, Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies initiated criminal prosecution against former leaders and residents of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In early October 2023, former presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan (1997–2007), Bako Saakyan (2007–2020), Araik Arutyunyan (2020–2023), as well as parliament chairman David Ishkhanian, were detained and transferred to Baku. More details about the events in Nagorno-Karabakh can be found in the reports of the "Caucasian Knot" Karabakh: escalation of the conflict or a new war? and "The Beginning and End of the Unrecognized Republic of Artsakh".
"As part of the preparation of an international women's humanitarian delegation to Baku to visit Armenian prisoners, I have sent public letters to international and state organizations, whose participation may depend on the organization of the visit and the safety of its participants," said Veronika Zonabend in a statement in the group "Free Armenian PrisonersFacebook*.
Zonabend stated that the goal of the initiative remains purely humanitarian: to meet with the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, visit Armenian citizens held in Azerbaijan, and deliver letters, photographs, and permitted personal items from relatives.
"That is why I consider it important to act openly - through official and diplomatic channels. The predictability and consistency of all stages of the possible visit are of particular importance: entry into Azerbaijan, organization of access to prisoners, and safe return home. It is important for participants and their families to understand that the initiative is being prepared in an official format and with the necessary guarantees, so that the trip does not pose a threat to their lives and safety," Zonabend noted in her statement.
In this regard, she reported that she sent open appeals to the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva - requesting assistance in organizing the visit under her office's auspices and creating the necessary conditions for its conduct.
She emphasized that for people in prolonged isolation, such an initiative is of great significance.
"Their condition, the conditions of detention, and communication with families should not go unnoticed or depend solely on closed and irregular mechanisms. It is about a basic human right - to know what is happening with loved ones, to have the opportunity to convey words of support, and to let them feel that they are not forgotten," Zonabend concluded.
Appeals have also been sent to the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Mirjana Spoljaric Egger - requesting to consider the possibility of assisting the visit, providing consulting support, and involving the ICRC within its mandate; to the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan - requesting coordination and practical support for the visit from the Armenian government; to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell - requesting diplomatic attention and possible assistance from European institutions.
"The Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report "Vardanyan and 15 leaders of Karabakh: the main points about the trials in Baku".