David Vardanyan: Ruben Vardanyan’s arrest was a very clear message that was sent to all the Armenian people

We need to speak more about the political prisoners, and I think that the next step we must take now is to put more pressure on Azerbaijan. We all know what’s happening is concretely against international norms and standards, and we need to show Azerbaijan that such behavior cannot be tolerated, especially if the country wants to position itself on the international stage. It’s the call to action that we must respond to, David Vardanyan, the eldest son of Ruben Vardanyan, who is illegally detained in Baku, told TheArmenianReport.

He noted that his father lived with the people of Artsakh for a year, briefly serving as minister of state for three months. His work mainly focused on educational initiatives, humanitarian aid, and efforts to bolster the Armenian community. “In the last eight months, he was just a local who, despite the difficult situation, continued to implement many humanitarian and charitable projects,” Vardanyan’s son noted.

“I’m worried for my father, but I’m also worried for all the Armenians who are being held in Baku. I think it was a very clear message that was sent to all the Armenian people, with the arrest of someone like my father, Ruben, that no Armenian is safe, and that this can happen to all of you,” David Vardanyan said.