Political consultant and orientalist Igor Dimitriev discusses the likelihood of the release of former NKR state minister Ruben Vardanyan and other former Artsakh officials detained in late September. In his opinion, there is little chance of a real trial, but the possibility of pardon cannot be ruled out completely.
Details: https://www.rosbalt.ru/posts/2023/12/12/1999877.html
“We are Our Mountains” agency, graduates of the Matena International School of Leadership along with former students of Harvard and Oxford Universities have launched an innovative training and retraining program. The Leaders2Leaders educational project continues Ruben Vardanyan’s work: over the past year alone, the philanthropist implemented four professional retraining programs in Artsakh.
80 people “forcibly displaced from Artsakh” will be trained at the Leaders2Leaders courses. The program involves a series of educational modules and is aimed at strengthening the students’ leadership skills. It is based on the peer-to-peer learning principle.
Details: https://news.am/rus/news/797195.html
«ARMENIA NEEDS HELP. Just learned that my friend Ruben Vartanian is a prisoner in Azerbaijan. He had switched career from derivatives trader/philanthropist to leader of the Artzakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). He is not even treated as a prisoner of war, but as a “terrorist”».
Golos Armenii newspaper has published a long article about the people suffering as a result of Azerbaijan’s military aggression in Artsakh on September 19. According to the author, six soldiers and ten civilians were abducted in the republic, but Baku still claims that only nine people are in custody. This list includes three former presidents of Artsakh Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arayik Harutyunyan, former foreign minister David Babayan, former defense minister of Artsakh Levon Mnatsakanyan, and philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan.
According to the article, Ruben Vardanyan is “a person who can be safely called a legend of business and charity, a humanist and philanthropist. One who has implemented a vast number of projects in the field of education, culture, human rights and civilization advancement. He is a highly prominent figure, respected on a global scale.”
According to Golos Armenii, Ruben Vardanyan has invested $50 million in various projects in Artsakh and leveraged his international connections to help the republic.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed on a prisoner exchange. According to Azerbaijani media, Baku will release 32 people, and Yerevan — two.
But none of the former leaders of Artsakh have been included in this list. In particular, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, and philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan remain under arrest.
Professor, writer and author of the black swan theory, Nassim Taleb, was outraged upon discovering that philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, who had been arrested in Azerbaijan, was treated like a terrorist.
“Armenia needs help. Just learned that my friend, Ruben Vardanyan, is a prisoner in Azerbaijan. He had switched his career from a derivatives trader / philanthropist to leader of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). He is not even treated as a prisoner of war, but as a terrorist,” Taleb said on X.
The BBC Russian Service website has published a long article about people who defend the rights of Armenians in Azerbaijan. According to lawyer Siranush Sargsyan, at least 80 captives, who are not officially recognized by Azerbaijan, have become enforced disappearance victims. No one seems to be concerned with their fate.
Human rights defender Eldar Zeynalov adds that the politicization of the process itself prevents Azerbaijani human rights advocates from defending Armenians: “Any information that can be used to accuse the Armenian side is guaranteed to be exaggerated.”
As you probably remember, philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan is one of the most prominent people among the arrested Armenians. He and other Artsakh residents were detained in September when they tried to leave for Armenia.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has cited former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, who believes that the arrest of the former leaders of Artsakh in Azerbaijan is “the culmination of a genocide.”
“Their detention is a message to Armenians that if you come back to Nagorno-Karabakh, you will be starved, humiliated, or killed. The captivity of these people is the culmination of a genocide”, Ocampo said at an inter-sessional meeting in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Genocide Convention of the UN Human Rights Council.
Luis Moreno Ocampo added that Baku consistently makes accusations against Artsakh leaders, including against philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan.
Levon Zurabyan, Deputy Head of the Armenian National Congress, believes that the Armenian authorities are indifferent to their fellow countrymen who ended up in a Baku prison. According to Zurabyan, the country’s authorities do not make any demands to Azerbaijan to release the prisoners. In addition, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is rewriting the history of the country, and the government refuses to create a department of special programs for internally displaced persons from Artsakh.
As you probably remember, eight Artsakh leaders, including philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan, are held captive in Azerbaijan.
Details: https://www.ng.ru/cis/2023-12-03/1_5_8892_armenia.html
Once again, the project of philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan has won at the World Travel Awards 2023, a prestigious international tourism prize.
In 2021, Wings of Tatev was already recognized as the world’s best cable car. Ruben Vardanyan’s project is the planet’s only engineering structure of this scale and was built in just 10 months. Previously, Wings of Tatev entered the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest reversible cable car — 5,752 m.
The project founder’s son, David Vardanyan, received an honorary award at a ceremony in Dubai.
No Armenian prisoner who is illegally detained in Azerbaijani prisons will avoid illegal trials, lawyer and human rights advocate Siranush Sahakyan believes.
According to her, international humanitarian law demands that all prisoners be released immediately after the end of active hostilities. If this does not happen, new cases will be fabricated against these prisoners. Currently, Azerbaijan has confirmed holding 33 Armenian prisoners of war and civilians. Philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan is one of them.
Информационная программа «Час» выпустила сюжет о первой бесплатной столовой в Степанакерте. Она заработала в городе 15 августа, во время блокады, по инициативе Рубена Варданяна.
За короткое время столовая стала местом сбора для многих жителей города. В первую очередь волонтеры обеспечивали горячей едой детей, беременных женщин и престарелых – тех, кто больше всего нуждался в поддержке.
По информации журналистов, первая столовая проработала чуть больше месяца. Поначалу ее посещали 300–350 человек, но их число быстро выросло до 500–600. Позднее в Арцахе открылась вторая бесплатная столовая.
Подробнее: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zywfc5IAxg4
Residents of Artsakh that are being held in Azerbaijan, including philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan, are in contact with the head of the republic Samvel Shahramanyan, says Member of Parliament David Galstyan.
According to him, the prisoners said that they were fine and not being tortured. The MP believes that the prisoners will be able to return home only as a result of negotiations.
Details: https://news.am/rus/news/795141.html
This new initiative aims to help craftsmen from Artsakh, and other residents who want to improve their skills or learn a new craft, to find a job. In addition, the craftsmen will receive assistance with purchasing the tools they require.
“The co-founder of our agency, Ruben Vardanyan, values craftsmanship very highly; last year, he implemented the Craftsman of Armenia project with this very initiative. Encouraging craftsmen and those who want to achieve mastery in their profession is an important goal for us,” said Armen Mangasaryan, head of social programs at the “We are Our Mountains” agency.
It is possible to apply for participation in Support for Artsakh Craftsmen until December 5.
Details: https://news.am/rus/news/795007.html
Сотрудники Международного комитета Красного Креста снова посетили филантропа и общественного деятеля Рубена Варданяна и других жителей Арцаха, которых арестовали власти Азербайджана. По словам руководителя пиар-отдела азербайджанского представительства МККК Илахи Гусейновой, представители организации встретились с задержанными один на один и создали условия, чтобы пленники могли связаться со своими семьями. Подробнее: https://www.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/3830299.html
Two months ago — on September 27 — the Azerbaijani security services detained social entrepreneur and philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan on the border of Artsakh and Armenia. During his 60 days of captivity, his future became the subject of diplomatic negotiations, and his imprisonment triggered support rallies not only in Armenia but also in other countries.
Well-known politicians, scientists, journalists, businessmen, and athletes have already spoken out in defense of Vardanyan. Thus, Vera Foundation founder, Nyuta Federmesser, called the philanthropist her personal national hero.
Graduates of the Skolkovo School of Management also expressed their support for the social entrepreneur, who stood at the foundation of this institution. The former students referred to Vardanyan as a mentor and a “wise elder.”
Vardanyan’s four children asked for help in freeing their father. They emphasized that he had never participated in military operations but, on the contrary, tried to promote peace and protect human rights through the Aurora humanitarian foundation.
The Court of Appeal in Baku rejected the petition of Vardanyan’s lawyer against his detention. Yet, the philanthropist’s organizations have continued their activities since his arrest.
Thus, Aurora co-founder Noubar Afeyan donated $2 million to support more than 100 thousand residents of Artsakh who were forced to leave their homes. A community center was opened in the south of Armenia with the Vardanyan Foundation’s support. The philanthropist’s eldest son, David, attended the opening ceremony.
The Future Armenian development foundation has issued a communique on recent events. The founders stated that they would continue the declared mission of jointly shaping a bright future for the entire Armenian nation.
David Vardanyan also gave an in-depth interview after his father’s arrest. According to him, Vardanyan had been aware of the risks when he made the decision to move to Artsakh.
The Assembly of Armenians stated that Azerbaijan had illegally abducted Vardanyan. The organization condemned this action, calling the accusations against the public figure “absurd.”
Vahan Zanoyan, an Armenian businessman, writer, and poet, has said that he sees no just reasons for the arrest of Vardanyan and other Artsakh residents. In his opinion, these people were legitimately elected officials when Azerbaijan was still negotiating the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Commissioner for Human Rights in Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva, expressed that she regularly visited the arrested representatives of Artsakh, and according to her all the detainees are treated humanely.
According to Zara Amatuni, head of the communication programs of the ICRC delegation in Azerbaijan, a request for the transfer of prisoners to a third party can be filed only if “certain problems” with their detention conditions are identified. At the same time, Vardanyan’s family has already received information about his status via the ECHR.
American Congressman Adam Schiff also called for the immediate release of the Artsakh Armenians, including Vardanyan.
Armenian officials also issue public reports concerning their work on the political prisoners’ release. Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenian Prime Minister, offers an “all for all” prisoner exchange, and the Foreign Ministry insists that it is taking all possible measures to return the prisoners as soon as possible
Amid these statements, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, promised that on December 10, International Human Rights Day, she would grant honorary citizenship of the French capital to the representatives of the Artsakh Armenians.
Сюжет информационной программы «Час» рассказывает о возрождении одного из символов Арцаха – средневекового монастырского комплекса Акобаванк.
Работы по восстановлению монастыря инициировал Рубен Варданян. Благодаря филантропу местные жители смогли внести свой вклад в сохранение национального культурно-исторического наследия. Для жителей Арцаха этот проект позволил скрасить тяготы блокады.
Подробнее: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyxCoLPQr5o
The fact-finding organization, Center for Truth and Justice, has published a report on the consequences of the events in Artsakh. It notes that, according to international law, Azerbaijan is obliged to release all prisoners.
The report emphasizes that since 2020, an unknown number of peaceful Armenians have been captured by Azerbaijan in Artsakh and nearby areas, as well as on the Armenian border. The document provides a list of all the prisoners’ names, including the philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan.
The human rights organization Christian Solidarity International (CSI) de-manded that Baku immediately release philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan along with other Artsakh residents illegally held by Azerbaijan. According to CSI President John Ebner, all of them are considered hostages of Ilham Aliyev’s “genocidal dictatorship.”
Details: https://www.csi-int.org/campaigns/karabakh/free-the-nagorno-karabakh-hostages/
The “We are Our Mountains” agency, co-founded by Ruben Vardanyan, along with its partners have launched the Wings project dedicated to the physical and mental rehabilitation of young refugees from Artsakh. During the pilot stage, about 50 Artsakh children living in Dilijan are participating in the six-week program; the participants are from 4 to 18 years old.
Details: https://news.am/rus/news/793575.html
The Impulse Space exhibition area, communication space and public office is opening in Dilijan. Visits are possible both independently and as part of an ex-cursion. The permanent and temporary exhibitions at Impulse Space are sup-ported by the Ruben Vardanyan Foundation.
The location will become a venue for lectures, as well as the exchange of expe-rience between experts from Armenia and abroad. The key event themes will be city development with a special focus on innovation.
Details: https://news.am/rus/news/793371.html
The Future Armenian development foundation, which was co-founded by Ru-ben Vardanyan, has issued a communique on the results of recent events in the country and Artsakh. The founders of the public initiative stated that they would continue their mission of working together to shape a bright future for the entire Armenian nation.
Details: https://hetq.am/ru/article/162166
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan informed that an offer for an “all-for-all” prisoner exchange with Azerbaijan is on the table. At the same time, the politician noted that Yerevan did not understand Baku’s “consistent ap-proach” to holding dozens of people captive.
According to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Yerevan and Baku “still speak different diplomatic languages and rarely understand one another.”
Yerevan met the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegates with a protest rally against Europe’s indifference to the fate of the Armenian captives. Rally partic-ipants carried posters with photos of philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan and other Artsakh residents illegally held by Azerbaijan.
The information program Chas has issued a story about an educational pro-gram of the Case Key business contest held for Artsakh youth this summer. Co-founder of the territorial development agency “We are Our Mountains,” Ruben Vardanyan, was at the origins of this initiative. According to one of the contestants, she and other students learned from Vardanyan to be guided by faith and to rely on their own resources.
Details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKdQAokdOsY&t=3s&ab_channel=ArmeniaTVNews
Members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have visited Armenians detained by Azerbaijan. According to Zara Amatuni, the head of the delegation’s communication programs, the visitation happened in early November.
She also mentioned that those arrested were allowed to contact their families without specifying which detainees in particular. Amatuni added that this time the ICRC staff did not meet with the prisoners, nor with philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan.
Details: https://armeniatoday.news/republicofartsakh-ru/679892/
“I want to address the state of Azerbaijan. The leaders of the Republic of Artsakh — Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, Ruben Vardanyan — are in Azerbaijani prisons. But we haven’t seen them at all late-ly. I would like to see (not only me, but the entire Armenian people) some new footage showing the faces of Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and Ruben Vardanyan, how they live, how they are treated.”
“When Ruben Vardanyan came to Artsakh, we did not understand at first. Artsakh already had problems with accepting and understanding people after numerous betrayals. Even when he started talking about drastic changes and big plans, it was still unclear. But after a short time Ruben Vardanyan man-aged to show that he was one of us. Once, when we talked with him: me not as an MP and he not as a state minister, but instead me as a native of Yerevan and he as a non-native of Artsakh, and we still shared our feelings for the Motherland.
I said that sometimes I catch myself thinking that such feelings for Artsakh are abnormal, that I don’t know if it is love or concern. The land of Artsakh, its water, everything, even the dust rising on the side of the road — this degree of love is abnormal. He also spoke about his feelings.
He said that before moving to Artsakh, he always thought that if one day one of his children asked him why he was Armenian — what would he answer? And I realized that the feelings I experienced were very similar to his. And that many people feel the same. In other words, each of us has a struggle with self-fulfillment amid this chaotic situation created by the authorities. And yes, many people came to Artsakh to live and create, to save Artsakh in order to confirm their right to be worthy of this land.
Ruben Vardanyan is one of them. In a very short time, he showed that feelings for the Motherland are not in a comfortable living, not in luxury, feelings for the Motherland are in sharing its pain and suffering. This is the purpose of his life. He even bought a house in the village of Kolatak and lived there. He com-muted to Stepanakert every day until the fuel problem worsened. During this time, he implemented many programs to make people’s life easier under siege.”
“The nine months of the blockade were the most important indicator, which, like a bare nerve, showed who is who. Even today I can think of 100 people ready to devote the rest of their lives to the mission of restoring Armenia and reviving the Armenian world.
Justice demands that this row begin with the “prison twin cities” — Ruben Vardanyan (Baku), Armen Ashotyan (Yerevan). It’s time to ask ourselves what our state is about, how we see it, and what we expect from ourselves. We need to continue the list of missionaries’ names — let others add more names, and we must keep moving forward.”
“The tragedy continues to unfold in Armenia. Azerbaijan is guilty of arbitrarily detaining former Artsakh officials and destroying the Armenian heritage on this territory.
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, as well as with the 100,000 refugees and political prisoners held by Azerbaijan. On December 10, in cele-bration of the International Human Rights Day, I will grant honorary citizen-ship of Paris to the representatives of Artsakh Armenians.
Paris also calls for the immediate release of all Armenian prisoners held by Azerbaijan.”
“I’m still trying to understand why numerous Armenian prisoners are being held in Azerbaijan. The European Union demands that we start peace negotia-tions by the end of this year, but how can peace be established when people are still being illegally held in Azerbaijan, including Ruben Vardanyan, David Babayan, David Manukyan, David Ishkhanyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, former presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan…
My question is addressed to the EU and other organizations that make useless demands without studying all the nuances, ignoring the illegal seizure of Arme-nian lands and detention of Armenians by Azerbaijanis. To start negotiations, first, begin with the release of all captured Armenians.”
“A well-known philanthropist who devoted his life to humanitarian and cul-tural projects, former state minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan, was de-tained exactly one month ago.
The Armenian Assembly condemns the illegal abduction of Ruben Vardanyan by Azerbaijan at an illegal checkpoint in the Lachin corridor on September 27.
There charges faced are absurd and the prominent philanthropist is now look-ing at up to 14 years in prison.
Ruben Vardanyan’s humanitarian contributions are invaluable for the Armeni-an and international community.
He abandoned his everyday life and travelled to Artsakh to facilitate its devel-opment and share all hardships of the blockade and war with residents of the republic. Ruben Vardanyan was determined to help find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
We believe that justice will prevail, that Ruben Vardanyan will be free and re-turn to his family soon!”
National Assembly of Artsakh Member Metaxe Hakobyan speaks about the public figure Ruben Vardanyan held by Azerbaijan. According to her, after ar-riving in Artsakh, the philanthropist quickly reassured its residents that he was one of them.
“Many people came to Artsakh to live and create, to save Artsakh in order to prove themselves worthy of this land. Ruben Vardanyan is one of them. With-in a short time, he showed that feelings for the motherland are not those of a shared life in comfort and luxury, but rather a feeling of shared pain and suf-fering. This is the purpose of his life,” Hakobyan said.
National Assembly of Artsakh Member Metaxe Hakobyan speaks about the public figure Ruben Vardanyan held by Azerbaijan. According to her, after ar-riving in Artsakh, the philanthropist quickly reassured its residents that he was one of them.
“Many people came to Artsakh to live and create, to save Artsakh in order to prove themselves worthy of this land. Ruben Vardanyan is one of them. With-in a short time, he showed that feelings for the motherland are not those of a shared life in comfort and luxury, but rather a feeling of shared pain and suf-fering. This is the purpose of his life,” Hakobyan said.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said that on December 10 — International Human Rights Day — she will grant honorary citizenship of the French capital to rep-resentatives of Artsakh Armenians.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the 100,000 refugees as well as political prisoners held by Azerbaijan,” Hidalgo wrote on Twitter.
She also stated that Azerbaijan is guilty of the arbitrary detention of former Artsakh officials and the destruction of the Armenian heritage in the republic. Hidalgo calls for the immediate release of all Armenian prisoners held by Ba-ku.
In his article, Alternative Projects Group member Vahe Hovhannisyan states that modern Armenia needs not an opposition but a serious government.
According to him, the country needs a post-war reconstruction program. It will be focused on the formation of a new elite, the development of new short-term and long-term national goals.
“Even today I can cite 100 names of people ready to devote the rest of their lives to the mission of restoring Armenia and reviving the Armenian world. Justice demands that this row begin with the “prison twin cities” — Ruben Vardanyan (Baku), Armen Ashotyan (Yerevan),” Hovhannisyan writes.
Details: https://verelq.am/ru/node/135989
A CivilNet reporter visited the Tatev Monastery complex to find out how the Tatev Wings cable car contributes to the development of the region. The struc-ture design was commissioned by philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, and this project has already been nominated for the prestigious international World Travel Award twice.
“Before the cable car was built, there were about 5 thousand tourists a year in Syunik, and now there are 150 thousand. This is reflected in tourist infrastruc-ture facilities: hotels, small restaurants, roadside cafes. People believe now that it is possible to open a business here, and they are going for it,” says Maria Butenko, director of the management company.
Exactly one year ago, philanthropist and public figure Ruben Vardanyan founded the territorial development agency “We are Our Mountains” in Artsakh. The agency engages in social and cultural projects and provides real assistance to Artsakh residents.
The agency’s programs are aimed at protecting people who suffer from military conflicts and the blockade of Artsakh. “We are Our Mountains” project created by Ruben Vardanyan immediately focused on specific tasks: humanitarian aid to the local population, provision of food and medicine, as well as daily essentials and services.
What results did the agency achieve by its first anniversary? The humanitarian organization purchased and handed over to the residents of Artsakh almost 190 tons of food products worth $450 thousand. The agency’s partners gave about 96 tons of food directly to the region’s government.
The agency also helps Artsakh to solve energy problems. Emergency power generators were deployed in Stepanakert and Martuni — on key Artsakh water supply lines. In addition, wood-burning stoves were purchased for hundreds of families. “We are Our Mountains” helped to restore residential buildings damaged during the 2020 hostilities.
It is important to note other projects of the agency. For instance, the Educational Kaleidoscope festival helped Artsakh residents of all ages to acquire skills needed and fill in the gaps associated with the blockade and the overall geopolitical situation in the region
With the agency’s participation, the Our Mountains community center was opened in Stepanakert to become a platform for many cultural and educational initiatives in the region. In addition, the agency has launched a call center to help the residents.
The blockade of Artsakh has significantly affected the work of the agency. Since its first days, “We are Our Mountains” has reformatted its activities to provide emergency assistance. They managed to source almost $280 thousand for this. The money was spent on establishing and running canteens for those Armenians of Artsakh in need, special food packages for pregnant women were provided, shelters created, and many other things.
The residents of Artsakh continue to receive aid even now, while the “We are Our Mountains” founder, Ruben Vardanyan, is being held prisoner in Azerbaijan.
An episode of the information program Chas is dedicated to providing trans-portation aid to sick people and pregnant women in besieged Artsakh. “We Are Our Mountains” territorial development agency purchased an electric car to give them prompt access to medical care. Every day the agency co-founder Ruben Vardanyan asked the driver how many expectant mothers he transport-ed and how many babies were born thanks to this. Details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ushqm0cTGwY
