by News.am
Ruben Vardanyan has been nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for his charitable and humanitarian activities. His candidacy was nominated by a number of authoritative persons, among whom is also a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Vardanyan’s office also confirmed this news received from Armenian News-NEWS.am’s foreign sources.
The office added, in particular, that Ruben Vardanyan, together with his colleagues, implemented a total of 700 projects in Armenia, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), and the Armenian world, investing in humanitarian, education, preservation of historical and cultural heritage, tourism and infrastructure development, and a number of other domains.
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In September 2022, Ruben Vardanyan announced his move to Artsakh. On November 4 of the same year, he assumed the position of Minister of State of Artsakh.
On February 23, 2023 Ruben Vardanyan was released from the aforesaid post of state minister, but he continued to stay in Artsakh. And through the We are Our Mountains agency which he founded, he carried out a number of charitable and social programs aimed at alleviating the healthcare and other vital needs of the Artsakh population then under the Azerbaijani blockade.
He was with the people of Artsakh under siege until the end. And after the military operations by Azerbaijan on September 19, 2023, together with the people of Artsakh, he had to leave Artsakh capital Stepanakert, moving to Armenia. But in September 27 of that year, Vardanyan was illegally detained by Azerbaijan at the Hakari bridge checkpoint on the border of Armenia and is still in a prison in Azerbaijani capital Baku.
Azerbaijan’s law enforcement agencies have brought obviously fabricated charges against him. The philanthropist and benefactor who is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize is accused under three articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan: financing of terrorism, creation of illegal armed groups, and illegal crossing of the border. He faces up to 14 years in prison.