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[Zartonk Media @ZartonkMedia]

Ruben Vardanyan Nominated for 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize Despite Being Held Hostage in Azerbaijani Prison
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A group of prominent human rights defenders from different countries around the world have nominated Ruben Vardanyan, who is currently unjustly imprisoned in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku, for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.

Vardanyan, an internationally renowned businessman and philanthropist born in Yerevan, renounced his Russian citizenship in September 2022 and relocated to Artsakh to stand alongside his people during what had already become a period of mounting Azerbaijani aggression. He was appointed State Minister of the Republic of Artsakh on November 4, 2022, taking office as Azerbaijan tightened its strangulation of the indigenous Armenian republic. Azerbaijan's 44-day war of September 2020, launched with direct Turkish military involvement and Israeli weaponry, had already killed thousands of Armenian soldiers and civilians and seized significant territory. By December 2022, Azerbaijan had imposed a near-total blockade of the Lachin Corridor, severing the 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh from food, medicine, fuel, and the outside world for 9 months.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a final military offensive against the besieged and starving population. Within 24 hours, Artsakh's depleted defense forces were forced to surrender. In the days that followed, virtually the entire Armenian population, more than 100,000 people, was forcibly displaced from their ancestral homeland in what amounted to the ethnic cleansing of occupied Artsakh. Vardanyan was detained by Azerbaijani authorities on September 27, 2023, amid the mass exodus of ethnic Armenians following Azerbaijan's military takeover of the region. He has been held in Baku ever since, and on February 17, 2026, the Baku Military Court handed down a 20-year prison sentence following a closed-door military tribunal that international observers and human rights organizations have uniformly condemned as a show trial. The prosecutor had requested life imprisonment, and Amnesty International described the proceedings as a "travesty."

Vardanyan is one of 19 Armenian detainees currently held by Azerbaijan in connection with the former Republic of Artsakh. 12 days before his own sentencing, on February 5, 2026, the same Baku Military Court sentenced 15 other defendants in a parallel proceeding. Former Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, former National Assembly Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, former Defense Army commander Levon Mnatsakanyan, and Major General Davit Manukyan each received life imprisonment. Former Presidents Bako Sahakyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan received 20-year prison terms, with reporting noting that Azerbaijan's criminal code bars life sentences for defendants above a certain age threshold. The remaining defendants, including Madat Babayan, Melikset Pashayan, Garik Martirosyan, Levon Balayan, Davit Alaverdyan, Vasil Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Erik Ghazaryan, received prison terms ranging from 15 to 19 years.

The nominating group has issued a statement, which is presented below.
“We, the undersigned, advocates for human rights across the globe, hereby announce that we have nominated the Armenian humanitarian Ruben Vardanyan for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.

This nomination recognizes Ruben’s significant contributions to the protection of human rights worldwide through the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, as well as his dedication to the rights of his compatriots in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). We firmly believe that Ruben Vardanyan is deserving of this award.

The Aurora Prize, which was co-founded by Ruben Vardanyan, Noubar Afeyan, and the late Vartan Gregorian, has empowered laureates to continue their vital work in the field of human rights, literally saving thousands of lives across various countries and continents. Ruben believes that goodness is eternal and immortal, and that it gains strength whenever a kind deed is performed. Through his vision and support, it has been possible to protect the rights of individuals in dire circumstances, providing them with a second chance at life.

For Ruben, the protection of human dignity and human rights stands above all else. For this reason, his decision to stand by his compatriots in Nagorno-Karabakh by moving there during their time of extreme hardship resonated deeply with all of us. In Nagorno-Karabakh, Ruben served as a defender of the rights of indigenous people.

A pacifist by nature and conviction, Ruben risked his personal safety and a comfortable future to pursue pathways for dialogue, negotiation, and mutual understanding in one of the world’s most complex and sensitive conflict zones.

In 1995, at the inauguration of the new headquarters of the European Court of Human Rights, Václav Havel voiced the hope that “human reason, decency, solidarity and preparedness to seek understanding and to live together in fairness will triumph over everything which threatens them.” Ruben is a carrier and follower of this very same ideology and these enduring values. Therefore, we firmly assert that his exceptional activities are entirely in line with the spirit of this award and the principles espoused by Václav Havel.

By a cruel irony of fate, Ruben Vardanyan, a humanitarian and advocate for human rights, now finds himself in need of the very protection he championed for others for decades. He has been sentenced by an Azerbaijani military court to 20 years in prison on fabricated charges and is currently being held in a Baku prison alongside several other notable figures from Nagorno-Karabakh.

We believe that awarding Ruben Vardanyan the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize would be a fitting tribute to Ruben’s exceptional efforts and a vital step toward securing his release, as well as the release of the other Armenian prisoners held in Baku.”

Nominating Group:
- Vahan Zanoyan, Author, anti-trafficking advocate, and global energy consultant.

- Marguerite Barankitse, Burundian human rights activist, founder of Maison Shalom.

-TTomorrow rrow m Catena, American physician and humanitarian, founder of Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains, Sudan.

- Julienne Lusenge, human rights defender and humanitarian from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, co-founder of Female Solidarity for Integrated Peace and Development (SOFEPADI) and director of the Congolese Women's Fund.

- Mirza Dinnayi, Yazidi human rights defender and activist, co-founder and director of Luftbrücke Irak (Air Bridge Iraq).

Overview of the Václav Havel Prize
The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize is named after the legendary Czech figure who served as the last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic, a playwright, a publicist, and a human rights defender.

The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize is awarded annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Czech Government, the Václav Havel Library, and the Charta 77 Foundation. The prize has been awarded annually since its establishment in 2013, with the aim of recognizing the exceptional actions of individuals and organizations dedicated to the protection of human rights. It is noteworthy that out of the 12 laureates to date, nine have been, or currently remain, convicted for their activities.

The 2014 prize, in particular, was awarded to convicted Azerbaijani human rights defender Anar Mammadli. In 2022, it was bestowed upon Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was convicted at the time, and in 2023, to Turkish philanthropist, businessman, and human rights defender Osman Kavala, who is currently in prison.

In 2016, the prize was awarded to Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad, who is also the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. According to the prize statutes, the name of the laureate is announced every year in September, in Strasbourg, during the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

[301🇦🇲 @301arm]

How is Artsakh ours?
This is how.

Through Amaras.
A 4th century Armenian monastery where Mesrop Mashtots taught the Armenian alphabet.

Through Dadivank.
An Armenian monastery standing for centuries with Armenian inscriptions carved into its walls.

Through Gandzasar.
The spiritual center of Armenian princes in Artsakh.

Through Ghazanchetsots.
An Armenian cathedral rising over Shushi.

Through Tigranakert.
An ancient Armenian city founded during the reign of Tigran the Great.

Through Tsitsernavank.
Through Katarovank.
Through Mayraberd and Handaberd.
Armenian monasteries and fortresses built across Artsakh for centuries.

Armenian manuscripts from Artsakh survived through the Middle Ages.
Not Azerbaijani manuscripts. Armenian manuscripts.

The Armenian meliks of Artsakh ruled the region for centuries.
They maintained Armenian autonomy even after the fall of Armenian kingdoms.

Thousands of Armenian inscriptions.
Thousands of Armenian graves.
Thousands of Armenian khachkars carved into the land itself.

How is Artsakh ours?

Because Armenians built there.
Ruled there.
Studied there.
Prayed there.
And have behind over a thousand years of proof.

[Kevork Almassian @KevorkAlmassian]

We need @RealCandaceO and @AnaKasparian to shed light on the kidnappings of Alawite women by armed men linked to the Trump-installed, al-Qaeda regime in Syria.

Our Armenian grandmothers were enslaved in the same way during the genocide. We have a duty to speak up for Alawite women now.

[Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @NYCMayor]

Today marks the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As we honor the 1.5 million Armenians murdered by the Ottoman Empire across modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Armenia, we must refuse to let history repeat itself.

In 2020, the military forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey attacked the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh. In 2023, Azerbaijan expelled over 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, continuing the genocidal campaign that had begun over 100 years prior.

On this day of remembrance, we reaffirm the right of the Armenian people — and all people — to freedom, safety, and self-determination.

[Art 🇦🇲 @artasovor_]

Shushi, Artsakh

[Arman Tatoyan @atatoyan]

Nikol Pashinyan and his party are attempting to intimidate citizens by invoking the threat of external invasion and war in order to influence how people vote. They do so because they have deliberately left our country without sufficient self-defense capabilities.

The government, which has failed for six years to build a credible deterrent capacity and modernize the army, has no right to threaten voters in order to cover up its own failures.

Armenia’s security must never be used as a tool for electoral manipulation. Our people deserve responsible leadership.

Justice is coming.

[Arsineh V @arskhach]

My children only know this and the historical maps which include Armenia from Artsakh to Cilicia, where their roots extend. They will be educated about their true history and they will learn about their heroes. They often draw Mount Ararat while looking at the real thing.

[Arman Tatoyan @atatoyan]

Employees of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute should be thanked for presenting our historical memory to the world, not pressured for doing their job.

The Museum is not just a scientific institution; it is a symbol of our people’s dignity, memory, and demand for justice. Political interference in its work is a blow to academic freedom and to our national memory and identity.

Real peace cannot be built by distorting or silencing our history.

As George Orwell wrote: “To speak the truth in times of deceit is a revolutionary act.”

[Arman Tatoyan @atatoyan]

Those who imagine Armenia’s future within a “Union State” fall into one of two categories: either they are agents of Nikol Pashinyan, helping him present himself as a supposed “savior,” or they are simply people without a sense of statehood.

And now, specifically to the ‘Civil Contract’ Government and their propagandists: you call yourselves the “saviors” of Armenia’s independence, yet every day you are undermining it.

You listen to Ilham Aliyev’s statements and remain silent.

Speak up: do you have nothing to say to Azerbaijan, which is reshaping our borders with your tacit consent? Or do you also envision Armenia entering some kind of “Union State” with Azerbaijan?

That is why I say clearly: in the upcoming elections, I will stand as Armenia’s candidate. In every decision I make, I will be guided solely by the interests of Armenia.

[Arman Tatoyan @atatoyan]

In our society, there is still a stereotypical perception that leadership is primarily a man’s role. However, at the beginning of my professional journey, I happened to have women as my supervisors. I saw firsthand the strength, integrity, and leadership that a woman can bring to such a position.

As a leader myself, I have worked closely with women and entrusted some of the most challenging responsibilities to them. They have succeeded.

March 8 was a good occasion to meet and exchange thoughts with the first Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Larisa Alaverdyan, under whose leadership I had the honor to work.

[Arman Tatoyan @atatoyan]

Women’s contribution to the family, society, and the development of the state cannot be remembered or appreciated only on Int Women’s Day. It is a contribution that shapes our lives every single day.

I want Armenia to be a country where women’s dignity and rights are protected not only by law, but because respect for women is a natural and deeply rooted value of our society.

Women’s strength, dedication, and wisdom are among the foundations on which the future of our people is built.

We must build a state where women and men have equal opportunities; where equal work receives equal pay; where women are genuinely valued in public service and leadership; where violence against women in the family has no place; and where the state stands firmly by every woman, whether she is giving birth, raising children, or returning to work after maternity leave.

#ForAllWomenAndGirls

[Rep. Frank Pallone @FrankPallone]

I'm disgusted by Azerbaijan's unjust and callous sentencing of Armenian captives from Artsakh to life imprisonment—they must be released, immediately. Aliyev claims he's committed to peace and reconciliation, but he's continuing to trample on human rights and due process.

I'm calling on Vice President Vance to advocate for the release of these prisoners during his upcoming visit to the region. https://t.co/jz4iRPZ5RB

[Arman Tatoyan @atatoyan]

Ahead of the @VP’s visit, I addressed a clear message: Armenians value loyalty, faith, and family, and we remember real action.

Armenian Christian POWs remain illegally held, our lands are occupied, and 120,000 were ethnically cleansed from Artsakh.

Justice can still be done.

[Ruben Vardanyan @RubenVardanyan_]

Message from Ruben Vardanyan’s Family

Yesterday, Ruben Vardanyan had a phone conversation with his eldest son, David.

According to Ruben, he is expected to be given the opportunity to make his final statement in court in the nearest future. In his remarks, he intends to emphasize the following:

“I do not recognize what is happening as a judicial process and do not intend to participate in an imitation of justice. The proceedings taking place in Baku do not meet the basic standards of a fair trial and therefore cannot be regarded as a court in the true sense of the word.

I regret nothing. All my actions were taken consciously and voluntarily, fully understanding the possible consequences. I am ready to answer for my actions before God. The only thing I regret is that I was not able to do more.

I reaffirm: Artsakh was, is, and will be - regardless of attempts to rewrite history or impose an alternative interpretation of events”.

Ruben also wished to share the following thoughts and to thank everyone who continues to support him:

“One should not fear death or try to “defeat” it. It is not death that is frightening. What is truly frightening is indifference – a state that enters us quietly and gradually, like radiation, and destroys us from within.

One should not be afraid to follow one’s own path: to search, to make mistakes, and to explore the world throughout life. The most important thing is to walk one’s path consciously.

What matters most is not to cause harm – not to destroy the delicate balance that exists in nature and in the world. We are all particles of a vast shared space that can exist only in harmony.

Cherish your words. A word can wound deeply, but it can also give a powerful impulse for growth, support, and creation.

I am grateful that I can serve my people. I thank all those who have stood by me – and continue to stand by me – during this difficult period”.

[Art 🇦🇲 @artasovor_]

Has there ever been a case in recorded history where a billionaire voluntarily puts himself in a position to defend his nation at the cost of being taken hostage in the dungeons of an enemy dictatorial hellhole?

I can only think of one.
Free Ruben Vardanyan.

[301🇦🇲 @301arm]

Businessman, philanthropist, and former State Minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan recently held a phone conversation with his eldest son, David Vardanyan, during which he shared three personal reflections:

“Artsakh was, is, and will be.”

“Believe in yourself — as a part of God, in goodness, and in light.”

“A true hero is someone who can ignite hope where none remains; who becomes a support for others when they have lost faith.”

Vardanyan has remained imprisoned in Baku since his capture near the Lachin corridor on 27 September 2023, amid the mass displacement and forcible detention of Armenians from Artsakh.

[R_A 🇦🇲 @avaruza]

Մե՛նք ենք, մեր սարերը» («Տատիկ - պապիկի արձան» հուշարձան կոթողը Ստեփանակերտում, Արցախ, 1 նոյեմբերի, 1967թ.
#Artsakh #Armenia ❤️💔

[Lisa ♰ ֍ @HayAghchig]

🇦🇲 Eternal respect to the heroes of Artsakh. September 27, 2020 will never be forgotten.

[Gev Iskajyan @geviskajyan]

Armenians in the diaspora care for their homeland because so many were torn from it. To protect Armenia is to protect our very existence. Our land is not rock and soil — it is the living heart that breathes life into our nation, our culture, and our identity. Without it, we are scattered fragments. With it, we remain a people whole.

[Council of Permanence @coun_permanence]

Armenia isn't suffering because of Donald Trump or even Aliyev...

Armenia is suffering because ill informed European flag wavers continue to directly or indirectly support the treasonous government currently destroying it.