The U.S.-based Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention has expressed support for an initiative by Veronika Zonabend, the wife of former Artsakh State Minister and philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, to form a women’s humanitarian delegation to visit Armenians detained in Baku.
“The Lemkin Institute calls on the leaders of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union and its member states to use their diplomatic presence in Azerbaijan to guarantee the safety of Mrs. Zonabend and the other women traveling to Baku,” the institute said in a statement, according to RFE/RL.
“We call on human rights defenders, influential public figures, politicians and international organizations, particularly those working in the fields of human rights protection and genocide prevention, to join us in supporting the wives and family members of the imprisoned Armenians by helping create the opportunity for them to visit their relatives being held in Baku,” the statement added.
Veronika Zonabend, the wife of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, has proposed organizing an international women’s humanitarian delegation to travel to Baku to visit Armenians detained in Azerbaijan. In connection with the initiative, she has appealed to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for a second time, asking to be informed about possible steps, coordination efforts or practical support that could be provided by the Armenian government.
Former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
