The Czech iDNES.cz periodical published an article addressing the criminal proceedings carried out against Ruben Vardanyan, the former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh who is being held in Baku, the assessments of international human rights organizations, as well as his nomination for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.
The article states that in February 2026, the Baku court sentenced Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years of imprisonment, while several other former officials of Nagorno-Karabakh were sentenced to life imprisonment or long-term imprisonment.
The periodical also addressed the assessments of Amnesty International, according to which the trials conducted against 19 ethnic Armenians did not meet international fair trial standards. The organization described the trial as a “mockery of justice,” emphasizing that the full text of the indictment was not published, while the Azerbaijani authorities did not respond to the organization’s requests for clarification.
The article presents procedural violations. In particular, it states that, according to Ruben Vardanyan’s lawyers, he was not provided with sufficient time to prepare his defense, while a significant part of the criminal case materials was presented in Azerbaijani without proper translation. It is also noted that these circumstances were thoroughly documented by his defense attorney, Siranush Sahakyan.
iDNES.cz also covered the report “Justice Under Pressure” published by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), which recorded that the trials were conducted without the participation of independent international observers. According to the report, the defense did not have full access to the case materials, defense motions were rejected without proper justification, and foreign media outlets and diplomatic representatives were deprived of the opportunity to attend court hearings.
The article also states that the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as the Senate of France, have issued statements calling for the release of Armenian detainees held in Baku. The article also mentions the resolution adopted by the European Parliament, which condemned the continued detention of Armenian prisoners of war and detainees and reaffirmed support for the rights of Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Separate attention is paid to Ruben Vardanyan’s nomination for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. According to the article, a group of international human rights defenders nominated his candidacy, highlighting his long-standing humanitarian activities, particularly the work carried out within the framework of the “Aurora” Humanitarian Initiative.
The periodical also addressed the detention conditions raised by Ruben Vardanyan and his family. It is noted that following the suspension of the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross, communication with his family has been significantly restricted. The article refers to previously published information by Reuters, Human Rights Watch, and the UN Committee Against Torture, concerning concerns over detention conditions in Azerbaijan, allegations of torture, and issues related to the protection of detainees’ rights.
The article also presents information regarding the case of former Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, according to which his appeals did not reach the court, and several procedural issues were recorded during the trial.
At the end of the article, iDNES.cz also addresses reports regarding possible restrictions on the religious rights of Armenian detainees, as well as international concerns surrounding the preservation of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh.