In an exclusive interview with News.Az, Alexander Leonov, Executive Director of the Center of Applied Political Studies Penta and a Ukrainian political analyst, commented on attempts to portray Ruben Vardanyan in Europe as a human rights defender and a potential candidate for the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.

Editor's note: Einars Graudins is a military expert and a retired senior officer of the Latvian Armed Forces. This article reflects the author's personal opinion and may not represent the views of News.Az.

As discussions continue in Europe over the possible nomination of Ruben Vardanyan for the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, the controversy surrounding him is taking on renewed political significance. For Azerbaijan, the issue goes far beyond a single award nomination. It touches on broader questions of separatism, Russian influence networks, hybrid warfare, and the ability of European institutions to distinguish genuine human rights advocacy from politically motivated campaigns.

The attempt to portray Ruben Vardanyan, who is currently serving a sentence in a Baku prison, as a candidate for the 2026 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize goes beyond a symbolic gesture. It is a political test — not only for those promoting him as a “humanitarian”, but also for European institutions that claim to uphold human rights, transparency, and the rule of law.

A contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, Kevin Leetion, saw his winnings significantly drop after failing to correctly answer the £250,000 question.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was urgently transferred from prison to a hospital in Zanjan on Friday after a "catastrophic deterioration" of her health.

The family and foundation of Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi say the human rights activist has been denied proper treatment and has not gotten better since being transferred from prison to a hospital.