Yesterday was the birthday of war criminal Ruben Vardanyan, and it appears that some Armenians are attempting to glorify another criminal. Recently, several institutions and organisations, including the Aznavour Foundation, sent letters to commemorate the birthday of Ruben Vardanyan, who is currently imprisoned in Baku for war crimes. Notably, these letters included messages of support and several unfounded claims, such as the assertion that his arrest was unjust and politically motivated. While the message praised Vardanyan as a man of “clarity of vision” and “devotion to Armenia,” it willfully ignored the troubling reality surrounding his actions and the charges he faces.

The letter spoke of Vardanyan’s “indelible mark on modern Armenian history” and his “boldness” in the face of hardship. But what mark, exactly, are we speaking of? A billionaire who parachuted into Garabagh during a volatile period, assumed a self-declared leadership position in an illegal separatist regime, and funnelled resources into activities that violated Azerbaijani sovereignty and international law — this is the legacy being defended?

This romanticisation is not new. For decades, Armenian nationalist rhetoric........

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