Azerbaijani studies expert : Ruben Vardanyan’s wife threatened with arrest if she visits Baku

Arminfo. The Azerbaijani side is threatening the wife of philanthropist and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, Veronika Zonabend, with arrest if she visits Baku on a women’s humanitarian mission. Azerbaijani studies expert Tatevik Hayrapetyan reported this on her Facebook page.

In particular, according to the expert, for a long time the Azerbaijani side has been expressing dissatisfaction through various media outlets with Ruben Vardanyan’s wife’s humanitarian initiative to visit Baku and meet with Armenian prisoners there. "But now they have gone even further. Several days ago, the Azerbaijani website "Unikal.az" published an article in which Vardanyan’s wife was already threatened with arrest: "Vardanyan’s wife faces up to 5 years in prison for illegally entering Karabakh." "The fact that she wanted to come to Azerbaijan and meet with her husband raises a new legal and political issue. If Zonabend enters Azerbaijani territory, she may be held liable for her illegal visit to Karabakh in 2022," Hayrapetyan quoted an excerpt from the Azerbaijani article.

According to her, this is an obvious threat directed at Vardanyan’s wife, through which an attempt is being made to prevent her possible visit and meeting with her husband. "This publication once again shows that the issue itself and, in general, the processes related to Armenian prisoners are problematic for Baku. Their main goal is to ensure that this issue is consigned to oblivion. Meanwhile, discussing this issue, including on international platforms, is vitally important for securing the prisoners’ release. In general, it is absurd that a year after the Washington meeting these people are still in Baku. After all, US President Donald Trump promised to address this issue. It still remains unclear: did he really take it up but fail to achieve success, or was this issue consigned to oblivion altogether?" Hayrapetyan concluded.

It should be recalled that earlier Veronika Zonabend, the wife of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan,  appealed to Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the Azerbaijani Ombudsman and the Prime Minister of Armenia, calling for assistance in organizing a women’s humanitarian mission to visit Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijani prisons. In addition, on September 4, human rights lawyer and representative of the interests of Armenian prisoners at the ECHR Siranuş Sahakyan reported that the Republic of Armenia had still not presented a clear position on whether Ruben Vardanyan’s wife’s initiative could receive state support. Having received no response, on September 8 Zonabend called on Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan to take her with him to Baku if such a visit was planned.

It should be noted that the exact number of Armenian prisoners of war  and hostages held in Azerbaijani prisons is still unknown. Experts estimate that there are several hundred of them. Today, the Azerbaijani authorities confirm that they are holding 19 Armenians.  Among those held in Azerbaijani captivity are 8 former and current representatives of the military-political leadership of Artsakh. They include former Artsakh presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arayik Harutyunyan, former Foreign Minister David Babayan, as well as Parliamentary Speaker David Ishkhanyan, former commander of the Artsakh Defense Army, General Levon Mnatsakanyan, General David Manukyan and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

In February, the Baku puppet court sentenced Arayik Harutyunyan, David Babayan, David Ishkhanyan, David Manukyan and Levon Mnatsakanyan to life imprisonment on fabricated charges, while Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Ghukasyan and Ruben Vardanyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison.  The so-called court sentenced the other Artsakh Armenians to up to 15 years in prison.