The “trial” of Ruben Vardanyan continued in the Baku Military Court on February 13. Azerbaijani media outlets write that Vardanyan refused the services of a defense lawyer and the petition was granted.
In an interview with NEWS.am, the head of the “Center for International and Comparative Law”, Siranush Sahakyan, confirmed that Ruben Vardanyan refused the services of the state-appointed defense lawyer, whom the prosecutor had introduced at the first session, “reasoning that, allegedly based on the complexity of the case, Vardanyan needed another defense lawyer. Vardanyan stated that this lawyer had not provided him with any legal assistance, had never visited the isolation ward, and that he did not trust him. At that time, the prosecution objected, insisting that the state-appointed lawyer should remain. However, according to my information, Vardanyan’s motion to waive the state defender was granted at yesterday’s session. Vardanyan’s interests will be defended there by his private lawyer, Abraham Berman, licensed in Azerbaijan. And he is deprived of the opportunity to meet with international lawyer Jared Genser and receive his legal assistance, since the Azerbaijani prosecutor’s office rejected Genser’s application to visit Baku.”
According to the human rights defender, the charges presented are beyond the bounds of reason and it is impossible to comment on them or provide counterarguments.