AZE.US
Armenian journalist Natali Aleksanyan has described the prison sentence handed to Ruben Vardanyan as justified and directly linked to his own political decisions.
According to Aleksanyan, Vardanyan received repeated signals during his time in Karabakh urging him to leave the region, but he deliberately chose to remain and carry the process through to the end. The current outcome, she said, reflects the consequences of that choice.
She added that the 20-year prison sentence imposed under Azerbaijani law appears logical and questioned attempts to frame the case as a collective issue for Armenia.
Aleksanyan also noted that even in the event of a possible transfer of Vardanyan to Yerevan, serious legal questions could arise within Armenia’s judicial system.
Allegations previously raised in the public domain include financial violations, corruption, and the незаконное распределение государственных земель, any of which could lead to significant legal consequences if fully investigated.
In her view, Vardanyan’s political activity caused harm not only to Azerbaijanis but also to Armenians themselves. She expressed hope that political agendas based on territorial claims and separatist projects would eventually fade, arguing that peaceful coexistence between Armenia and Azerbaijan leaves little room for such narratives.