ArmInfo. Christians around the world are awaiting the release of Armenians held in Baku prisons ahead of Christmas. This is stated in an article by David Vardanyan, the son of Ruben Vardanyan, who has been illegally held in Baku since September 2023, for the Christian Post.
David Vardanyan noted that Christians around the world are currently facing unprecedented levels of persecution and discrimination.
According to him, recent estimates show that hundreds of millions of Christians-one in seven believers worldwide and one in five in Africa-live in places where their faith puts them in daily danger. In the past year alone, more than a quarter of a million Christians have been forced to flee their homes. "These aren't just statistics. These are families. This is the future. And for my family, this crisis has a name: Ruben Vardanyan. As the world prepares to celebrate Christmas, a holiday of hope and freedom, my sisters, my younger brother, and I cling to the hope of seeing our father again. My daughter never met her grandfather; she was born almost two years ago, after he was captured. Today, my father and 22 other Armenian Christians remain imprisoned in Baku, denied due process, spiritual support, and even the right to a Bible," Vardanyan Jr. noted.
At the same time, he acknowledged that the world is not silent, and Ruben Vardanyan's case has received bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, as well as the support of the French Parliament, the European Parliament, and leading human rights organizations like Amnesty International, calling for his immediate and unconditional release. "These voices are unanimous: his detention is illegal and unjustified. Yet, my father remains behind bars. The diplomatic agreement announced at the White House on August 8 paved the way for peace and raised hopes for the release of Armenian prisoners. But Azerbaijan has not kept this promise," noted David Vardanyan.
At the same time, he is confident that Washington has significant leverage over Azerbaijan, which seeks stronger economic partnerships with the West, closer defense and diplomatic ties, and seeks to assert its global legitimacy. And most importantly, it listens to the United States.
"This is where strong leadership is needed. President Donald Trump has a well-documented history of personally intervening to secure the freedom of unjustly imprisoned people from Sudan to Pakistan. The same focused leadership today can make the difference between reuniting families or their desperate wait. My father always taught us that faith without courage is just a word, and that light always triumphs over darkness. Even after two years behind bars, he did not give up and continues to carry that light. If we believe that religious freedom is a universal human right, then we cannot turn a blind eye to the wrongful imprisonment of Armenian Christians and the man who stood beside them, helping them survive. The world is watching. A century ago, our ancestors were saved from the Armenian Genocide only because others had the courage to act. Today, Armenian Christians face new persecution and the familiar threat of extermination. History will remember those who demanded justice and those who allowed silence to prevail. As Christmas approaches "Christians around the world are watching and praying for action to be taken again," Vardanyan Jr. concluded.
The exact number of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages held in Azerbaijani prisons is still unknown. Experts estimate the number to be several hundred. Today, the Azerbaijani authorities confirm the presence of 23 Armenians in their custody. Among those held in Azerbaijani captivity are eight former and current members of the military-political leadership of Artsakh. These include former Artsakh presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan; former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan; as well as Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan; former Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army General Levon Mnatsakanyan; General David Manukyan; and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.
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