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.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on the compound of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei on Saturday t...
The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have sur...
Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday (2 March), af...
Türkiye and Iran have suspended day-trip passenger crossings at their shared border, Türkiye's trade minister said Monday, as a ...
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following recent mil...
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.
Azerbaijani non-governmental organisations have called on U.S. President Donald Trump to reject an appeal by the U.S.-based Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention. The appeal urges Washington to pressure Azerbaijan to release detainees of Armenian origin, including Ruben Vardanyan.
The Oligarch’s Design is a methodical and tightly constructed investigative film that shifts attention away from front-line events to the less visible systems of power shaping conflict from behind the scenes.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Saudi Aramco closed its Ras Tanura refinery on Monday following an Iranian drone strike, an industry source told Reuters as Tehran retaliated across the Gulf after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iranian targets over the weekend.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on the compound of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has moved into a pivotal constitutional role following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, becoming the clerical member of Iran’s temporary leadership council under Article 111 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Türkiye and Iran have suspended day-trip passenger crossings at their shared border, Türkiye's trade minister said Monday, as a U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran entered its third day.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following recent military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on targets in Iran, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise.
Uzbekistan has expressed deep concern over the rapid escalation of tensions in the Middle East, urging restraint and diplomatic resolution as the conflict begins to affect civilian aviation and regional security.
As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Kazakhstan is assessing the impact on its trade routes, diplomatic ties and citizens in the region. Analysts say the crisis could test Astana’s ability to balance economic interests, security concerns and foreign policy priorities.
Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday (2 March), after the Iran-backed group launched missiles and drones towards Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment