ArmInfo. The Skolkovo School of Management alumni community issued an open appeal in support of Ruben Vardanyan. It says:
"We, thousands of graduates of the international business school SKOLKOVO - a community of entrepreneurs and executives, appeal to world leaders, human rights activists and the media with a request for help in releasing Ruben Karlenovich Vardanyan from imprisonment in Azerbaijan.
"We know Mr Ruben Vardanyan as a passionate and sincere person, an active humanitarian and public figure, a bright leader, the founding father of the business school where we studied, found business ideas and partners, friends and like-minded people. Behind each of these events was he: always ideological, ready to help, a visionary and strategist, who was always open to dialogue and personal participation. We know him as a humanitarian who, together with his partners, founded the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, one of the largest humanitarian foundations dedicated to promoting peace and protecting human rights throughout the world. Ruben Karlenovich had a significant influence on the development of many large socially beneficial projects and management culture in Russia and other countries.
Ruben Vardanyan is an example of a businessman, philanthropist, philanthropist, for whom honor, dignity and service to the mission are not words, but a way of life. There are people whose scale is wider than any boundaries, any spheres of activity, passports, policies, phenomena and situations. Ruben Karlenovich is grateful to hundreds, thousands of people who managed to touch his circle.
More than a year ago, Ruben Vardanyan made the difficult decision to settle in Artsakh (Nagorno- Karabakh) because he wanted to be with the people of Artsakh, to protect them and their rights. This desire was so strong that he left everything, neglected comfort and safety, and went there to share with the local residents the hardships of wartime and blockade.
Even after leaving Russia, Ruben Karlenovich continued to be close to our community and participated in his mission of developing people, selflessly helping projects as a mentor, and developing research and scientific activities.
On September 27, 2023, Ruben Vardanyan was detained by Azerbaijani authorities while attempting to leave Artsakh along with thousands of other Armenians fleeing possible persecution by Azerbaijan. Currently, a criminal case has been initiated against him. Azerbaijan accused Ruben Karlenovich of financing terrorism, participating in the creation of armed groups and illegally crossing the border. Currently, Ruben Karlenovich is under arrest.
For us as business leaders, this is a blow to the entire business community. This is the loss of guidelines and themes of philanthropy, which always had a leader, a wise elder and mentor with whom we could always check the clock of conscience and duty. The physical safety of global people provides moral support to other leaders. Every community has a spiritual leader - an example of unconditional service. If such an example disappears, the community disappears.
With this letter we ask for the help and support of all those who are concerned about the fate of Ruben Vardanyan to ensure his safety and a speedy return to his family and good deeds.
We ask you to join our appeal and disseminate this information on all resources available to you.