Billionaire Banker Ruben Vardanyan Faces Life Sentence in Baku Court

Azerbaijani prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for Ruben Vardanyan, a former Karabakh official, on 42 charges including terrorism. Vardanyan disputes the fairness of the trial, having previously protested through hunger strikes. Amid broader legal actions against Karabakh leaders, Armenia and Azerbaijan are exploring treaty negotiations to resolve their conflict.

Azerbaijani prosecutors have requested a life sentence for Ruben Vardanyan, a billionaire banker, in a Baku court on Thursday. Vardanyan, previously a senior official in the breakaway Armenian administration of Nagorno-Karabakh, is facing 42 charges, including terrorism, following the region's collapse in 2023.

The Armenian-born financier, who formerly held Russian citizenship, challenges the fairness of the trial and has protested through hunger strikes, citing torture during custody. His arrest in September came amid a mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region after Azerbaijan's swift military actions.

Vardanyan's trial is separate from those of 15 other former Karabakh officials, as Azerbaijan tightens its legal grip on the disputed territory. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, both Armenia and Azerbaijan have expressed interest in pursuing a peace treaty, with economic ties beginning to form.

(With inputs from agencies.)