‘Refusing to appeal is not the end of the struggle, but a refusal to participate in farce’ – Ruben Vardanyan’s family

Former State Minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan refused to file an appeal, his family announced on social media.

“Following the announcement of the ruling against Ruben Vardanyan, we are stating his position regarding further legal actions. Ruben has chosen not to appeal.

This decision does not mean agreement with the verdict, nor does it mean abandoning his defense. It is a conscious refusal to legitimize a process that from the very beginning had no signs of justice.

The hearings were not genuine judicial proceedings but staged performances. The sessions were held behind closed doors, independent observers were not allowed, motions were ignored.

The full text of the verdict was not read out in court. As of this statement, the family has not been provided with the official written text of the verdict with a proper translation, which is yet another gross violation of procedural rights that makes it impossible even to formally understand the grounds for a 20‑year prison sentence.

An appeal makes sense only where there is a possibility to correct the mistakes of the first instance court. But when violations are systemic and affect fundamental principles of justice, an appeal becomes another tool to legitimize unlawful persecution.

Filing an appeal under these conditions would imply recognition that the trial met even minimal legal standards. That is far from the truth.

Ruben consciously refuses to participate in the imitation of a legal process. He does not recognize the verdict as a judicial act of justice and considers it part of politically motivated and unlawful persecution, which is nothing other than denial of justice.

Refusing to appeal is not the end of the struggle, but a refusal to participate in a farce.

We will continue to seek justice through international legal mechanisms and other international institutions. One cannot defend one’s rights within a system that from the outset denies the right to a fair trial,” the statement reads.