Arkady Vartanyan Social and political figure, publicist, political scientist, philanthropist Date of Birth: 22.05.1947 Country: Armenia

1. Early Life and Family
2. Political Activism
3. Return to Armenia and Imprisonment
4. Literary and Public Engagement
5. Education and Academic Achievements
6. Entrepreneurial Endeavors

Early Life and Family

Arkady Arshavirovich Vartanyan was born on May 22, 1947, in Yerevan, Armenian SSR, to a family of doctors. His father, Arshavir Vardanovich Vartanyan, was a military surgeon, while his mother, Viktoria Rafaelova Akopdzhanyan, was the first female professor of medical sciences in Armenia, specializing in pediatric orthopedics. Arkady is married and has three sons.

Political Activism

In 1994, Vartanyan established the "Center for Russian-Armenian Initiatives" in Moscow, which advocated for Armenian interests at the highest levels. The center employed several prominent figures, including international law professor Yuri Barsegov, artist A. Nuykin, and poetess Seda Vermisheva. The center also published the monthly political journal "DIALOG", distributed to government institutions, ministries, and universities.

Vartanyan became an outspoken critic of then-Armenian President Robert Kocharyan. After organizing numerous rallies throughout Armenia, he gathered a crowd of an estimated 100,000 people in Yerevan's Freedom Square on October 31, 2000. He was arrested that day, along with his associates and party members. After four months in solitary confinement, he was released due to international pressure. Under threat and intimidation, Vartanyan and his family were forced to flee Armenia and later Russia.

In 2001, he sought political asylum in Spain, leaving behind assets in Yerevan and Moscow that were subsequently appropriated. Vartanyan continued to publish articles for opposition newspapers in Spain. He organized rallies in Brussels in 2008 to condemn government actions in Armenia on March 1, which resulted in the deaths of 10 civilians.

Return to Armenia and Imprisonment

Vartanyan returned to Yerevan in 2012 and supported opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian. However, they had a falling out, and Vartanyan stated that Hovannisian had "deceived the people's expectations." Subsequently, Vartanyan was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison on fabricated criminal charges. He was released in November 2018 under an amnesty.

Literary and Public Engagement

In 2019, Vartanyan published his book "Izgnanie D'yavola" (The Expulsion of the Devil), which analyzed political events in Russia and Armenia. In December 2020, he participated in a rally against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government.

Education and Academic Achievements

1969: Yerevan State University, Philological Faculty, Specialization in Russian Language and Literature

1996: Moscow Pedagogical University, Candidate of Sciences (Political Science)

1998: Moscow Pedagogical University, Doctor of Sciences (Political Science)

Entrepreneurial Endeavors

From 1986, Vartanyan engaged in various entrepreneurial activities in Russia, including construction, architectural restoration, publishing, and international trade. From 1993, he served as the president of the firm "Imperial" in Moscow. He played a significant role in developing Moscow's restaurant industry, establishing popular restaurants such as "Serebryany Vek" (Silver Age) and "Morskoy Volk" (Sea Wolf). In 1995, he was recognized as "Best Entrepreneur of Russia" by Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.