Ruben Vardanyan rejects services of defense attorney appointed by Baku

The sham trial of former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan is underway in Baku.

During the trial, Vardanyan declared that he was rejecting the services of the defense attorney appointed by Azerbaijan.

According to Azerbaijani media, Vardanyan has abandoned the services provided by Azer Maharramov, the defense attorney appointed by Baku, and his rights will now be defended by his lawyer Avraam Berman.

Azerbaijan has illegally arrested former Nagorno-Karabakh Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, former MP Davit Ishkhanyan, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Davit Babayan, former Minister of Defense Levon Mnatsakanyan, former Deputy Minister of Defense Davit Manukyan, and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan on trumped-up charges. 

False charges have also been brought against Vasily Beglaryan, Erik Ghazaryan, Davit Alahverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Garik Martirosyan, and Melikset Pashayan.