Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan facing severe abuse, rights lawyer warns

Armenian detainees in Azerbaijani prisons are suffering from broken bones, severe weight loss and a denial of medical treatment, according to a human rights lawyer representing their families.

Siranush Sahakyan, who represents the detainees at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), said reports of physical violence and deteriorating health among the prisoners were credible, despite ongoing restrictions on independent verification.

"We have received information about individuals among the Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijani prisons who have suffered serious injuries," Ms Sahakyan said. "We cannot independently verify this information, but it causes serious concern."

She added that some of the injuries reported by families included bone fractures that strongly suggested physical abuse while in custody.

Relatives of several detainees, speaking anonymously due to safety concerns, described severe physical decline among their family members. One relative said a detainee had lost significant weight and appeared to have had his lower teeth knocked out during court proceedings.

Another relative reported that prisoners were being denied basic medical care for severe heart conditions and chronic headaches. "He called and said: 'We are unwell, everyone is unwell... We are completely ignored,'" the relative said.

Independent doctors have not been granted access to any of the 19 Armenian prisoners currently held in Baku, some of whom have been detained for up to six years.

Among those detained is Ruben Vardanyan, the former state minister of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Baku military court on 17 February following a separate trial on war crimes charges, which he denied.

Mr Vardanyan, who headed the region's administration for several months during Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin corridor, declined to appeal against the sentence, stating he did not view the proceedings as an act of justice. His wife, Veronika Zonabend, has appealed to international organisations and the Armenian government to facilitate access to the prisoners.

Other former political leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh — including former presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arayik Harutyunyan — were arrested in October 2023 after Azerbaijan launched a swift military operation to reclaim full control of the enclave.

Appeal hearings for several of the former officials continued at the Baku Court of Appeal on 24 July, with prosecution statements presented ahead of further sessions.

Azerbaijan is required to submit a comprehensive report detailing the health conditions and detention terms of all Armenian prisoners to the ECHR by 31 August. Ms Sahakyan said the official medical documents submitted by Baku will be cross-referenced against statements collected from detainees' families.