Billionaire Vardanyan faces 45 charges in Azerbaijan
Former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Ruben Vardanyan has been charged with 45 offenses.
He could face life in prison if found guilty.
According to the Azerbaijani prosecutor's office, the 45 new charges include 20 articles of the republic's Criminal Code, the TASS article emphasizes.
The case materials are presented in 100 volumes and occupy 25 thousand pages.
The details of the case are hidden from the public and Vardanyan himself. The charges apparently concern Azerbaijan's national security.
A statement from an international group of lawyers said billionaire Vardanyan faces life in prison.
The businessman and his defense team face limitations in their ability to prepare for trial and mount a defense.
Following Azerbaijan's military operation in Karabakh, Vardanyan was detained while attempting to leave the country.
The authorities accused the businessman of illegally crossing the Azerbaijani border, financing terrorism and the activities of illegal armed groups.
Vardanyan is currently under arrest.
In the summer, the billionaire's lawyers suspected the Azerbaijani authorities of torture.
