The trial of Ruben Vardanian, the former de facto prime minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, on charges of terrorism, crimes against humanity, and crimes against the state of Azerbaijan is set to begin on January 17 in Baku.
Vardanian, a former banker who made a fortune in Russia, rejects all the charges against him and in a statement issued by his family on Telegram complained that he had not been given enough time to prepare his defense.
"I reiterate my complete innocence and the innocence of my compatriots and demand the immediate cessation of this politicized case against us, " he said in the statement issued on the eve of the trail.
Prosecutors said Vardanian had received full access to the case materials and had been granted rights to legal defense, the use of his preferred language, and other procedural rights during the investigation.
Vardanian disputed that, saying in the statement that he had been informed that he faces 42 charges, including some carrying sentences of life imprisonment, but he said he had not been granted the opportunity to fully review the official indictment.
SEE ALSO: Concerns About Victor's Justice As Nagorno-Karabakh's Leaders Are Behind Bars And Facing Trial In AzerbaijanHe said the 422 volumes of the criminal case against him had been presented to him and his lawyer on December 9 in Azerbaijani, a language he does not speak.
He appealed for support from the public to have numerous demands met, including more time to study the indictment, an open trial, and the combination of his case with that of 15 other defendants.
Vardanian also said that, despite being detained for more than 470 days, including 340 in solitary confinement and 23 in a punishment cell, he had neither “malice nor hatred” and wanted "true peace" between Armenians and Azerbaijanis.
According to prosecutors, the accusations against him include torture, gun-running, forcibly deporting people, seizing power by force, and planning and conducting a war of aggression.
Vardanian, who was born in Yerevan, moved to Nagorno-Karabakh in 2022, serving as de facto state minister, the equivalent of prime minister, from late 2022 until February 2023. His Russian citizenship was revoked in December 2022.
He is the former chief executive officer and shareholder of the Troika Dialog investment bank that was bought by Sberbank in 2011. Forbes estimated his wealth at $1 billion in 2021.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan recaptured Nagorno-Karabakh, known as Artsakh to Armenians, ending three decades of de facto independence since it broke away from Baku's control in a war that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Vardanian was arrested when he fled as part of a mass exodus of some 100,000 Armenians from the mountainous territory.
The 15 other people who have been charged, including several former politicians in Nagorno-Karabakh, such as Arayik (Ara) Harutyunian, who served as the region’s de facto president, also face trial.
The charges against them include genocide and war crimes, according to Azerbaijani prosecutors.