A military court in Baku has sentenced former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, businessman Ruben Vardanyan, to 20 years in prison. This was reported by the state agency Azertag. Previously, the prosecution had insisted on a life sentence.

The trial began in Baku in January 2025. Representing the state as the victim, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan's apparatus, Rufat Mammadov, stated his agreement with the evidence presented by the prosecution and requested the court to consider it in the decision-making process.

Vardanyan's family called the sentence "horrifying but expected." According to relatives, the trial was held behind closed doors, and evidence for the charges was allegedly not presented. They also declared their intention to seek the release of the businessman and other Armenian prisoners, whom they consider political.

Vardanyan is an entrepreneur and investor who was among the wealthiest Russian businessmen according to Forbes magazine. In autumn 2022, he renounced his Russian citizenship, stating that this decision was related to the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh.

The businessman was detained by Azerbaijani law enforcement in September 2023 while attempting to enter Armenia after Azerbaijan's military operation in the region, following which the disputed territory came under Baku's control. He has been in custody since then.

According to investigative data, Vardanyan faces over 40 charges, including financing terrorism, creating illegal armed formations, and illegally crossing the state border of Azerbaijan.

Source: kun.uz