“I dedicate this text to all those who so longed for peace and were forced to end up in Azerbaijani prisons”.

This is the beginning of an article by an anonymous author about the repression and war crimes of Azerbaijan, published by the independent publication Beda. The article also talks about the fate of former Artsakh State Minister and philanthropist Ruben Vardanian, who moved to the unrecognized republic in 2022.

The article cites the memories of the Artsakh refugee Lara about that difficult period. According to her, together with Ruben Vardanian, she worked on educational and social programs, which he personally supported and developed.

“During the blockade, when food was sorely lacking, he [Ruben Vardanian] opened a social canteen where everyone could eat at least once a day. He also arranged for pregnant women and seriously ill patients to be transported to hospitals by electric car,” – recalls Lara.

Azerbaijan accuses Ruben Vardanian and other Armenian prisoners of a number of serious crimes, while court hearings are held in semi-closed mode, which raises doubts about the observance of the rights of the defendants and the transparency of the process, the author of the article recalls. The article also notes that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) does not have access to prisoners, and in March 2025, the Azerbaijani authorities closed the ICRC office in Baku.