Yerevan /Mediamax/. Former Artsakh State Minister and philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan has decided not to appeal the verdict.

“This decision does not signify agreement with the verdict and does not constitute a waiver of his right to defense. It is a conscious refusal to legitimize a process that, from the outset, bore none of the hallmarks of justice.

Throughout the hearings, what unfolded was not a genuine judicial proceeding but a staged performance. The sessions were held behind closed doors, independent observers were excluded, and motions submitted by the defense were ignored.

The full text of the verdict was not read out in court. As of the publication of this statement, the family has not been provided with an official written copy of the judgment with a proper translation - a further serious violation of procedural rights, making it impossible to understand even the formal grounds for the 20-year sentence.

An appeal has meaning only where there exists a genuine possibility of correcting errors made by the court of first instance. When violations are systemic and affect the fundamental principles of justice, an appeal becomes yet another instrument for legitimizing unlawful prosecution.

Filing an appeal under these circumstances would imply recognition that the trial met at least minimal standards of law. This is far from the case.

Ruben consciously refuses to participate in the imitation of a legal process. He does not recognize the verdict as an act of justice and considers it part of a politically motivated and unlawful prosecution - nothing other than a denial of justice.

The refusal to appeal is not the end of the struggle - it is a refusal to take part in a farce,” the statement issued by Ruben Vardanyan’s family says.

Mediamax reminds that earlier the Baku court sentenced Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison.