My dad has been in prison for more than 550 days for advocating for  rights of Armenians of Nagorno- Karabakh - David Vardanyan

ArmInfo. Imagine entire communities forced to abandon homes, churches, and graves of ancestors in just 24 hours. Elderly neighbors collapsing on mountain roads while fleeing, children crying from hunger, and families separated forever.

This nightmare became a reality for 120,000 Armenian Christians when  Azerbaijan ethnically cleansed Nagorno-Karabakh, otherwise known as  Artsakh. Among those paying the price is Ruben Vardanyan, who now  sits in a prison cell for trying to help.

The last time this happened to Armenians, America responded  heroically. When Ottoman Turks slaughtered 1.5 million Armenian  Christians in the first genocide of the 20th century, ordinary  Americans launched the Near East Relief Foundation, raising over $117  million (equivalent to $2.7 billion today) to save Armenian orphans  and refugees, America's first major international humanitarian  effort. President Wilson championed their cause, calling it "the  starving Armenians" in a phrase that entered national vocabulary.

Those rescued Armenians became part of America's fabric. Every time  Americans enjoy Cher's music, watch Kim Kardashian's shows, or  remember Andre Agassi's tennis victories, they're witnessing the  legacy of Armenian Genocide survivors who found safety in America.

Today, however, my father, Ruben Vardanyan, has no voice to tell his  story. For more than 550 days, he has been a political prisoner for  simply advocating for the rights of Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to  live in their ancestral homelands.  

He is not alone. Today, there are at least 23 other Armenian  Christian prisoners illegally detained in Baku.  Even more  concerning, civil society organizations estimate that Azerbaijan also  now holds more than 300 political prisoners, a group that has swollen  in recent months to include more Armenian and Azeri human rights  defenders, journalists, and activists.

My father's imprisonment stems not from a life of political activism,  but from his unwavering support for those facing adversity around the  world, including in Nagorno-Karabakh. Before he became a political  prisoner, he was known as a businessman and humanitarian. 

Over the last 10 years, his life's purpose has been focused on  philanthropy, especially in his native Armenia. As part of this work,  he also co-founded the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, a global  humanitarian movement which honors humanitarians who risk their lives  to help others in places such as Rwanda, Iran, and Afghanistan.

As was the case 110 years ago, we remain hopeful that the United  States will once again come to the aid of Armenians prosecuted for  their nationality and faith today. 

Personally, I am alive because my great-grandfather was saved by an  American orphanage organized by Christian missionaries in  Etchmiadzin, Armenia. Today, we see signs that Armenians are again  not alone.  Most importantly, President Trump has vowed to protect  persecuted Armenian Christians in Azerbaijan and beyond. His National  Security Advisor, Michael Waltz, has also called for the release of  the Armenian political prisoners. It is this kind of support and  pressure that will ultimately prevail. 

My family and I look to the leadership of President Donald Trump to  fulfill his commitment as a President of Peace. He can do this by  making the regime in Baku understand that it must adhere to  international rules and show its commitment to peace in the Caucuses  by  releasing my father and the other Armenian prisoners.