Michael Rubin: “Armenians should be told more about Ruben Vardanian’s case”

According to Michael Rubin, a senior researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, Ruben Vardanian and other prisoners should become as famous prisoners of conscience as Andrei Sakharov and Nelson Mandela once were. Rubin wrote about this in an article published in The Armenian Mirror-Spectator weekly newspaper.

The author of the article talks about the Wings of Tatev project and the world’s longest reversible cable car, which is visited by many foreign tourists every day. The ideological inspirer and the main financial donor of its creation was Ruben Vardanian. But during the trip on this cable car, when travelers listen to an audio recording about the surrounding attractions, name of the philanthropist is not mentioned even once.

Armenians should use all means to raise awareness of the world community about the fate of the philanthropist, Rubin believes. This is all the more important in a situation where the Armenian government has actually turned its back on Vardanian.

“Every project of the Ruben Vardanyan Foundation should talk about a man who continues to sacrifice himself for the sake of Armenian culture, development and self-determination. The Foundation could install billboards in every city and village. Vardanyan and other prisoners should become as famous prisoners of conscience as Andrei Sakharov and Nelson Mandela once were”, – the expert believes.

Details: https://mirrorspectator.com/2025/07/31/armenians-must-make-ruben-vardanyan-a-household-name/