A court hearing scheduled for 30 December in the criminal case against Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan has been postponed for an indefinite period, Azerbaijan’s judicial authorities have said.
According to the statement, the delay stems from the fact that the panel of judges assigned to Vardanyan’s case is currently in deliberations on a separate high-profile trial involving 15 Armenian nationals. The panel is chaired by judge Zeynal Agayev and includes judges Anar Rzayev and Jamal Ramazanov, with Gunel Samedova serving as a reserve judge.
The court indicated that the next hearing in Vardanyan’s case will be scheduled once the judges return from those deliberations, without specifying a new date or timeframe. That leaves the proceedings in limbo for now, with the defence and observers waiting to see when the trial will resume.
Vardanyan faces a wide range of charges under Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, including crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism and terrorism financing. The indictment also cites planning and waging an aggressive war, deportation and forcible transfer of civilians, persecution, enforced disappearances, unlawful deprivation of liberty, torture and mercenarism.
Prosecutors further accuse him of violating the laws and customs of war and breaching international humanitarian law during armed conflict, as well as multiple counts of premeditated murder and attempted murder. Economic and security-related accusations are also included, such as illegal entrepreneurship, creating and financing terrorist activities, forming criminal and armed groups not provided for by law, illegal possession and trafficking of weapons and explosives, acts posing threats to aviation security, attempts to seize or retain power by force and illegal crossing of the state border.
Vardanyan has denied wrongdoing. His defence team has previously described the array of allegations as politically motivated, arguing that the case is driven by broader tensions rather than by evidence of individual criminal responsibility.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire ...
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations ag...
Azerbaijan is once again at the centre of global climate diplomacy, hosting World Environment Day 2026 and bringing together international leaders, po...
The Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly has concluded in Samarkand, bringing together representatives from 186 countries to set environm...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engag...
The nomination of Russian-Armenian businessman Ruben Vardanyan for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize has triggered criticism.
How do political narratives travel from Moscow to Westminster?
Ruben Vardanyan has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Baku Military Court after being found guilty of a series of offences including war crimes, terrorism and crimes against humanity.
The name Ruben Vardanyan has become a focal point of international headlines following his high-profile arrest by Azerbaijani authorities in late 2023. He has many titles, billionaire, philanthropist, and formerly so-called State Minister of the unrecognised Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement that its Aerospace Force did not strike the Kuwait Airport passenger terminal on Wednesday, and that the destruction was instead caused by a failed U.S. Patriot missile.
Five Azerbaijani citizens have been killed and three others injured following drone attacks on two cargo vessels in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
As Armenia heads toward parliamentary elections on 7 June, the country's relationship with Azerbaijan is emerging as one of the defining issues of the campaign, with analysts and international observers highlighting the role of regional politics in shaping voters’ mindsets.
Armenia will hold parliamentary elections on 7 June 2026, a vote that will shape the country’s political direction for the next five years. Understanding how the electoral system converts votes into parliamentary power is key to following the outcome and its wider regional implications.
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with around 600 mothers dying for every 100,000 live births.
Azerbaijan is once again at the centre of global climate diplomacy, hosting World Environment Day 2026 and bringing together international leaders, policymakers and organisations to address urgent environmental challenges.
The Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly has concluded in Samarkand, bringing together representatives from 186 countries to set environmental priorities and approve new funding for climate, biodiversity and sustainable development initiatives.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has warned ahead of World Environment Day that Afghanistan's worsening water crisis is disproportionately affecting women and girls, who bear much of the responsibility for securing water for their families.
Azerbaijan is increasingly positioning itself as a strategic bridge between East and West, using a combination of diplomacy, energy cooperation and regional connectivity to expand its international influence.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment