Billionaire Banker Ruben Vardanyan: A Tumultuous Journey and Controversial Verdict
Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian-born billionaire and former banker involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh administration, received a 20-year prison sentence from an Azerbaijani court. He was tried for charges including terrorism and war crimes amid the longstanding Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. The sentencing follows Azerbaijan's reestablishment of control over the disputed region in 2023.
Billionaire banker Ruben Vardanyan, once a senior official in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, was handed a 20-year prison sentence by an Azerbaijani court this Tuesday, state media disclosed.
Vardanyan, who served as Karabakh's second-in-command during 2022 and 2023, faced charges of terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. His legal defense characterized the trial as flawed, pointing to its lack of fairness and freedom. Azerbaijani prosecutors had aimed for a life sentence for Vardanyan, who remains a controversial figure amid Azerbaijan's recent territorial gains.
This verdict unfolds as steps towards peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan continue, following decades of dispute mainly focused on Nagorno-Karabakh. Vardanyan's arrest in September 2023 occurred amid sweeping changes in the region, with a mass departure of the ethnic Armenian population as Azerbaijan reclaimed full governance over the territory.
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