The Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan has responded to the statement by Marie Struthers, Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at “Amnesty International”, regarding the court verdict issued against Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan, who was found guilty and convicted of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, as well as terrorism and financing of terrorism.
Modern.az reports that the statement reads:
“In the Baku Military Court, open court proceedings were held in full compliance with international judicial practice regarding the criminal case against Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan, who was accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, and other grave crimes under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. During the court proceedings, the accused, his defense counsel, victims, their legal successors, and representatives participated freely, and the course of the trial was widely covered by the media. Ultimately, R. Vardanyan was found fully guilty of the crimes he was accused of and was definitively sentenced by the court to 20 years of imprisonment.
As a result of the court proceedings conducted in full compliance with the provisions of international human rights law and international judicial practice, the statement issued by the official of the international non-governmental organization “Amnesty International” regarding the verdict rendered by the court against Ruben Vardanyan is legally and morally incorrect, non-objective, and biased.
Thus, the claims and statements made in the declaration are in full contradiction with the requirements of the UN Charter and other international legal documents, individuals with the same status as those who committed crimes against peace and humanity during World War II are being protected, and no opinion is expressed regarding the crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes committed against Azerbaijanis for over 30 years.
The approach demonstrated by the aforementioned organization contradicts the principles of objectivity, balance, and professional ethics essential for international non-governmental organizations and reflects the non-objectivity of the statement.
The advancement of such accusations against Azerbaijan by an official of “Amnesty International” for the purpose of “defending” an individual accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, and other grave crimes once again demonstrates the organization's biased stance and the double standards applied against our country. Such a selective approach and the decontextualization of facts indicate that the said entity is deviating from objectivity in its activities, and this once again brings to the forefront the question of its funding sources and the political influences under which it operates.
From a legal perspective, it should be emphasized that the charges brought against Ruben Vardanyan fall into the category of grave and particularly dangerous crimes, in accordance with both the national legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan and international legal norms. The criminal prosecution was based on concrete evidence and legal facts, and the judicial investigation was conducted in compliance with legislative requirements.
Throughout the entire investigation and judicial process, the defense rights of the accused were fully ensured. The provision of legal counsel to the individual, the preparation of his defense position, and his opportunities to participate in the court proceedings were organized in accordance with the requirements of legislation and international standards. Employees of the Ombudsman's Office participated in the court proceedings and directly observed the situation regarding the assurance of the accused's rights and freedoms.
Furthermore, the Ombudsman's National Preventive Group (NPG) held meetings with accused individuals of Armenian origin, including Ruben Vardanyan, and continuously monitored their detention conditions and treatment. These monitoring activities were carried out in accordance with international standards, and the situation regarding the assurance of the individual's fundamental rights and freedoms was constantly kept under attention. During visits conducted by employees of the Ombudsman's Office, the rights of the accused individuals of Armenian origin, including R. Vardanyan, were explained to them in their native language, their current health status was checked by a medical member of the NPG, and they were provided with relevant publications and legislative acts in their native languages, in accordance with their requests.
The fact that the statement by the official of “Amnesty International” goes beyond legal aspects to give the issue a political overtone, as well as presenting unconfirmed claims as facts, once again demonstrates the organization's biased stance against Azerbaijan.
We call on the international non-governmental organization “Amnesty International” to abandon its biased and selective approach, to refrain from giving political overtones to legal processes, and to truly serve the protection of human rights based on objective, balanced, and professional principles.
International human rights advocacy can only be legitimate and credible when it is based on facts, law, and justice”.
