Vardan is a Soviet dissident and Human Rights activist. He was a member of the Armenian Youth Union of underground National United Party of Armenia. In 1980, was arrested along with 4 other dissident friends and sentenced to 5 years in prison and 3 years of exile for his “anti-Soviet activities.” Served his sentence in Ural and Magadan (Kalima). In 1988, after the end of his sentence term, returned to Yerevan, Armenia, where he lives until now.