David Vardanyan's Sisyphean task Another attempt to demonise Azerbaijan

The son of Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian-Russian oligarch accused of serious crimes against Azerbaijan and a former leader of the Karabakh junta, David Vardanyan, posted a paid column on Fox News to stir up interreligious hatred and once again defame Azerbaijan through primitive lies and pathetic manipulations.

The loud title of this "article" is "My dad has been in prison for more than 550 days simply for being Christian." Clearly, David Vardanyan or his advisors hoped to portray Ruben Vardanyan in a favourable light by appealing to the religious sentiments of Americans and the Fox News audience.

In reality, this turned out to be a classic case of spitting into the wind. The result is visible on David Vardanyan's own face.

For decades, the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict has remained one of the most pressing issues in the post-Soviet space. However, in addition to territorial and ethnopolitical ambitions, Armenian nationalists actively exploited the religious factor. Christianity became a tool for them in the ideological and psychological warfare against Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country. This was particularly evident during the period of the Karabakh occupation and during one of the most tragic episodes of the conflict—the Khojaly massacre.

Armenian nationalism was largely built around the image of the "last bastion of Christianity" in a Muslim environment. Such rhetoric was actively used both within Armenia and in international propaganda.

In the West, the image of a "civilised Christian nation" supposedly fighting against the "aggressive Muslim environment"—primarily Azerbaijan and Türkiye—was being shaped. This allowed Armenian lobbyists to garner sympathy and support based on religious solidarity, particularly in the United States and France.

The use of religion was not limited to propaganda alone. In the rhetoric of several radical Armenian politicians and clergy, the war over Karabakh was portrayed as a “sacred mission” — the defence of Christian land against Muslims. This perception of the conflict conveniently served as justification for brutal actions against the peaceful Azerbaijani population.

On February 26, 1992, the mass killing of civilians in the town of Khojaly marked the bloodiest episode of the conflict. Armenian armed formations, with the support of the 366th CIS Motor Rifle Regiment, killed more than 600 Azerbaijanis, including women, children, and the elderly. Eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence point to signs of deliberate and systematic violence — executions, rape, and mutilation of the bodies of the dead.

Former leaders of the Karabakh junta, now testifying before the Military Court in Baku, are already providing statements that point not only to their own involvement in heinous crimes against Azerbaijan but also to the fact that these crimes were committed under the direct orders of both former and current Armenian leadership.

Despite attempts by the Armenian side to deny or justify what happened, the testimonies of some participants include motives such as “revenge for centuries of oppression” and the notion of a “sacred struggle for Christian land.”

The religious narrative is once again being used as a shield to cover up war crimes. That is why David Vardanyan’s current actions come as no surprise. However, their primitiveness is glaringly obvious: the war to restore Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity was fought by citizens of various nationalities and faiths. Unlike monoethnic Armenia, Azerbaijan is a country where people of different religions live peacefully and happily together. The Azerbaijani model of multiculturalism has long been recognised and respected worldwide.

It is also worth recalling that during the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the Armenian side systematically destroyed Muslim heritage sites. Mosques were desecrated, turned into pigsties, or demolished.

These were not merely acts of vandalism, but deliberate attempts to erase the centuries-old Azerbaijani presence on these lands—falsely presented as an “ancient Christian Armenian territory.” Unsurprisingly, David Vardanyan made no mention of this in his article.

The appearance of such a piece is hardly unexpected. According to a report by the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (parliament) Commission on Combating Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats, David Vardanyan has been accused of financing campaigns targeting Azerbaijan, particularly in the context of the COP29 international conference.

The report states that David Vardanyan, together with Noubar Afeyan, used financial resources and personal networks to organise hybrid attacks against Azerbaijan. They enlisted prominent PR firms such as Edelman and Havas, as well as the legal firm Perseus Strategies, to conduct information campaigns in foreign media and on social networks. These campaigns were marked by the active use of hashtags like #FreeRubenVardanyan and #FreeArmenianPrisoners, aimed at creating the illusion of broad international support and exerting pressure on Azerbaijan.

David Vardanyan’s latest actions are a direct continuation of this same agenda. His father stands accused of financing terrorism, illegal border crossing, forming unlawful armed groups, and money laundering.

Ruben Vardanyan himself has, through his own statements, effectively confirmed the validity of the charges against him. He publicly acknowledged funding projects in Karabakh that operated outside the framework of Azerbaijani law, actively participated in managing entities not recognised by the international community, and led campaigns aimed at demonising Azerbaijan on the global stage.

His entire track record—from words to actions—forms a clear and logical chain pointing to deliberate subversive activity against Azerbaijan, in violation of both national and international laws. That is precisely why he is now standing trial.

As for David Vardanyan’s attempts to use his father’s financial resources to spread falsehoods about Azerbaijan — they have existed, continue to exist, and will likely persist. But all of this amounts to nothing more than a futile effort. Or, as already said, a spit against the wind.