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Pastinfo continues its series of publications titled “‘Justice’ According to Azerbaijan,” analyzing the indictment and verdict in the case of Ruben Vardanyan.
I. CRIMES AGAINST PEACE AND THE SECURITY OF MANKIND
Article 114.1 — Mercenarism (recruitment, training, financing, or use of mercenaries)
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Alleged Act: “At least 2,000” foreign nationals since September 27, 2020. An alleged “agreement” with V. Vardanov, founder of VoMA. Distribution of Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity funds to “150 mercenaries of Kurdish origin.”
Evidence Underlying the Charge: Evidence of recruitment or financing is entirely lacking. The prosecution presents only a single WhatsApp message (dated May 22, 2022) listing seven VoMA instructors, a single news publication regarding Ruben Vardanyan’s participation in a VoMA training session on May 1, 2022, and generalized “operational information.” There are no lists, names, or payment documents concerning the alleged “2,000 foreign nationals.”
Imposed Penalty: Sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment, handed down by the verdict.
Taron Simonyan’s Analysis: The court treated the Aurora Prize award ceremony as a payment for mercenary activities. Regarding VoMA, its instructors are citizens of Armenia and thus cannot fall under the legal definition of mercenarism. Furthermore, merely attending a training session does not constitute recruitment.
The timeframe attributed to the alleged “2,000 foreign nationals” coincides with a period when Ruben Vardanyan was not even physically present in Artsakh. Notably, the court cites 2013 as the date of the alleged “agreement” with VoMA, which is actually the year VoMA was founded, whereas the referenced correspondence dates from 2022.
Walnort’s ICSID arbitration memorial proves Armenia is liable for losses of over USD 1.5 billion.
