Ex-Russian tycoon who led separatist region launches hunger strike in Azerbaijan

FILE – In this photo taken from video released by State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, Ruben Vardanyan, the former head of Nagorno-Karabakh’s separatist government, center, is escorted by Azerbaijani security service agents in Baku, Azerbaijan. Vardanyan, a former Ruben Vardanyan (State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan via AP, File)

A former Russian tycoon jailed in Azerbaijan on charges stemming from his time as a top separatist figure in the Karabakh region has gone on hunger strike, his family said.

Ruben Vardanyan started the fast two weeks ago to press demands for a speedy trial, news agencies cited the family as saying.