Yerevan /Mediamax/. Jared Genser, International Counsel to Ruben Vardanyan, made the following statement today:

“One week ago, former Nagorno-Karabakh State Counselor Ruben Vardanyan courageously launched a hunger strike in protest of the political show trial being carried out against him and other Armenian-Christian political prisoners in Azerbaijan. The proceedings in Vardanyan’s case began on January 17th, after some 500 days that he spent in arbitrary detention. Not only does he face life in prison for politically-motivated charges, but there have also been egregious violations of his due process rights.

Vardanyan’s trial proceeded uninterrupted yesterday, despite his deteriorating health and repeated requests for a postponement. Specifically, Ruben’s blood pressure was recorded at the dangerously high rate of 140/110, which is categorized as “Stage 2” high blood pressure and is considered to require medical attention.  He has lost six kilograms (13.2 pounds) so far. His pulse was elevated well above normal. And he appeared exhausted and on several occasions came close to passing out.

Despite these serious medical concerns, he was still brought before the judicial panel of the Baku Military Court for his trial hearing in another proceeding that was secret and closed to the public.  Given his condition, Defense Counsel filed an initial motion to postpone the hearing and the judicial panel allowed a break for him to be examined by a state doctor. That doctor, however, only reported her observations to the court privately and not to the Court, raising serious questions as to her actual conclusions. The judicial panel rejected the first motion to postpone the proceedings and four more made at various intervals, asserting it was safe for Ruben to participate as long as he remained seated during the hearing.  Under 27 of the Nelson Mandela Rules, “[a]ll prisons shall ensure prompt access to medical attention in urgent cases.” To compel Ruben to participate in this proceeding while facing serious threats to his health and safety at a minimum constitute cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment.

I urge international organizations with access to the Azerbaijan prisoners to request access to Ruben on an urgent basis. As well, I ask that independent trial observers monitor Ruben’s trial in Baku to ensure his rights are not further violated during the proceedings. I call on the Government of Azerbaijan to allow a doctor from our international team to visit him in prison, to immediately provide all necessary medical care, including regular monitoring of his condition, that he needs, and to postpone the trial through the remainder of his hunger strike. I also call on world leaders, especially Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan, to condemn the show-trial against Ruben as politically-motivated and unlawful”.