Hunger-strike is protest against very nature of process itself -  Ruben Vardanyan

ArmInfo. Below is an appeal by former state minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan delivered through  his family:

Dear compatriots!

Today is March 5th. I want to say a few words to you as Ruben  Vardanyan, just as I am: as an Armenian, who speaks and thinks in  Russian. As a man of the world, who is happily married, loves  everyone, who has dedicated himself to self-education, and who lives  with faith in God.

First of all, I want to thank all of you for supporting me through  your prayers, thoughts, letters, and simply for not being indifferent  to what is happening here. I feel all these thoughts and wishes and  they give me great strength and energy. Thoughts are most certainly  material. I am in good shape, I feel strong, my health is fine, and I  am in complete peace with myself, with my spirit as strong as ever.

I want to apologize to my beloved wife, to my family, and to all  those dear to me, whom I have caused so much pain and worry with my  decision. But each of us has our own unique path, and I have chosen  this path for myself. Our fate is predestined by God, but we are the  ones who choose the road we take. Even when we refuse to make a  choice, then inevitably someone else will make it for us.

I want to emphasize once again that my decision has nothing to do  with my personal well-being or my conditions in the detention center,  just as it was last time when I went on a hunger strike for 20 days  until midnight on April 24. This is a protest - against the very  nature of the process itself, against the way this process is  unfolding.

I knew what I was getting into, and I was prepared - and am still  prepared - for even worse conditions. I am not a victim, and I do not  want to be pitied, because all this was a conscious decision.

My demands remain the same. If there is such a desire to judge me -  judge me professionally, publicly, openly, in accordance with  Azerbaijani laws and all legal procedures, along with everyone else.  In the presence of international journalists and observers - after  all, you are so sure of your righteousness. Stop artificially  separating my case. Why have you singled me out, when all my charges  are based on the claim that I have supposedly been part of an  organized criminal group since 1987?

Do not violate your own laws and procedures. Do not falsify  documents, do not manipulate evidence and protocols.  You have  everything - my phone and other personal belongings, my documents,  they are all fully available to you.  Don't mock the judicial system  with this show trial, farce and imitation game. If you are going to  judge - then judge fairly.

I want to tell all my compatriots, my beloved ones: it is not just me  and 15 others that are being put on trial - it is all Armenians  around the world. And if you do not understand this, it is a great  tragedy, because this is not the end of the story, not the end of the  conflict - only another stage, unfortunately, for all sides.

I am being accused of everything that has happened since 1987. No  problem - I am ready to take the heaviest punishment for whatever if  only it would bring peace and stability. But it is an illusion to  think that after this process is over, you will all be left alone,  that you will be able to go about your lives and enjoy simple  pleasures without thinking about these problems. The challenges still  lie ahead for all of us.

I knew what I was doing when I moved to Artsakh. Every person in life  makes decisions for themselves, and in the end they will stand before  God alone and answer for their thoughts, their words, and their  actions. I know this to be true.  Even when someone sacrifices  themselves for their homeland, for their family, or for certain  principles - it is only their decision and their responsibility to  bear. And in that sense, I was fully aware of my choices.

I do not know if I will have another opportunity to speak with you,  and so I want to ask for forgiveness from everyone whom I may have  ever hurt - through words, actions, or carelessness.Please forgive  me! I have never done anything out of malice, envy, pride, or  revenge. I never wished to cause anyone pain.

I want to say something separately about one person who is,  unfortunately, before whom I feel the greatest sorrow and pain. Dear  Alvard, (note: the wife of Davit Manukyan, with whom Ruben left  Artsakh in a car) if I had not been in your car, if we had not been  together with your husband, Alvard, he would be with you now. Please  forgive me. For me, this is the heaviest punishment - that because of  me, another person is suffering alongside us.

I also want to apologize separately to all the children who have lost  their homeland - that I did not do everything I could, everything I  should have, to prevent this. I did as much as I felt I had the moral  right to do because I was with you. But I was with you alone, without  my family. And yet, I am glad that I was able to prevent certain  things that, in my opinion, could have broken us as a nation  completely. I managed to stop that and change the course of history a  little.

I was happy to be with you, the people of Artsakh, during this  difficult time - to always feel your love, warmth, gratitude, and  trust. I am proud of you - real, down to earth and my dear people,  and I love you all sincerely.

I am a very happy person. God has given me a wonderful family and  friends. I was able to bring to life countless projects with unique  partners. I have seen so much of the world. But some of the best days  of my life were those when, despite all hardships - the blockade, the  uncertainty of the future, the difficult conditions - when we rebuilt  Akobavank monastery together, broke bread together, and danced our  dances.

I am happy that, together with many friends and partners, we were  able to carry out dozens of projects in Artsakh. I especially want to  thank my Muslim friend (I will not name him, so as not to cause him  trouble) for the opportunity to restore the mosque in Shushi  together.

Remember: evil must never be answered with evil - for then it only  grows and strengthens. And after Sumgait comes Khojaly, and this  cycle goes on endlessly. This path was never acceptable to me,  because it has no future - it is a dead- end with, unfortunately, no  good way out.

I also want to thank many Azerbaijanis whom I have encountered here  for staying true to basic human values, even though they see me as an  enemy and have their own grievances and mistrust. Despite what they  may feel, a lot of them have shown their humanity towards me. And as  for those who did not - I genuinely feel sorry for them and forgive  them, just as I forgive the Armenians who behave the same way toward  me and my family in Armenia.

I am an optimist, and I believe that despite everything, we will  overcome all the challenges and difficulties before us.  We will once  again live in our homeland, in peace with our neighbor, respecting  one another and overcome the mutual hate and resentment that has  built up over the years - just as some other nations have managed to  do.

But if we truly want this, we need a real, stable, long-term peace -  not just on a piece of paper, but a peace that is sustainable and is  adhered to by all people on a daily basis. We must understand that no  one owes us anything. Lasting agreements can only be reached by those  who are strong, with a country that has an honorable and dignified  elite. True elites are not defined by wealth, connections, power, or  even intellect - but by the understanding that those who have been  given more in life are held to a higher standard. True elites place  their duty to society and responsibility for the future of the nation  above all personal interests and desires.

And finally, in memory of all those who have fallen and suffered in  this terrible conflict - I deeply believe that some things are more  important than the life of a single person. These are faith in  goodness, in light, in love, in values, in sacred things - the  spiritual foundations that distinguish humans from machines. Without  them, the world will once again sink into chaos or perish in a flood  or other disasters. One must not become a slave to the golden calf...  All of this has already happened in human history. Let us not allow  it to happen again and do everything in our power to prevent it,  because faith in values is the foundation of our future.

That is why, for the sake of preserving these fundamental values, I  am ready to go to the very end, in peace with myself, absolutely  happy. Because happiness begins and ends within you, when you are at  peace with yourself. You can be happy in a luxurious palace, and you  can be happy in the worst prison cell - if you are at peace with  yourself.

I am glad that I can serve my people and the principles that I  consider to be of greater importance not only for our nation but for  all of humanity.

And finally, I want to say that one must never: I realized here that  one must never give in to despair or indifference, and I understood  why it is the most terrible of the seven sins. I used to think it was  pride or envy. But despair means that the divine spark within you has  gone out, that you have stopped believing in anything, that you have  simply raised your hands and given up.

Never - I urge you: I would like us to never lose faith in everything  and never give in to despair. Please! This is the foundation of our  future, and that is why I love you all and deeply appreciate the  chance that I have been given. I will do everything I can and will  continue to do so.

I love you all. I am sure that everything will be alright. I have  always been, am, and will be with you. I am a person who wants to  live, who wants to love, and who wants to continue his work. But I  believe that what I am doing is the right thing, because it is the  only way to awaken you from the indifference in which you find  yourselves.

Everything will be alright! 

I love you, respect you, and I am certain that despite all the  difficulties ahead, we will persevere.I stand with you as Ruben  Vardanyan, son of Karlen, grandson of Hamayak Vardanyan, carrying my  entire heritage - the legacy of my parents and my Artsakh  grandmother.

I am grateful to you for giving me the joy of being Armenian and  loving my homeland.