Lawyer raises concerns over Armenian prisoners in Baku

PanARMENIAN.Net - Argentine-Armenian lawyer Luciana Minassian, head of the SOAR organization’s Buenos Aires branch, has sent an urgent appeal to Azerbaijan’s Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva, raising concerns about the rights and detention conditions of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

According to the organization’s statement, the physical and psychological condition of prisoners released earlier has raised serious concerns about the situation of those who remain in custody.

The statement notes that on March 13, 2026, Ruben Vardanyan attempted to contact Ombudsman Aliyeva using the only means available to him — a phone call with his family — but the call was interrupted before he could finish his appeal, Panorama.am reported.

The message also stresses that more than a month after sentencing, none of the Armenian detainees has received an official copy of their verdict in any language. Concerns were also raised about the conditions of detention.

“More than a month after the verdicts were delivered, none of the Armenian detainees has received the official text of the judgment in any language. They remain unaware of the legal basis of their conviction and of where or when they might be transferred.

We are deeply concerned about the conditions of detention. The physical and psychological state of prisoners released in January 2026 raises serious concern about those still in custody,” the statement said.

It also noted that communication between detainees and their families has been severely restricted, reduced to rare and brief phone calls. Families fear that even this limited contact could be stopped completely.

“As the Human Rights Commissioner, Ms. Aliyeva has both the authority and the responsibility to act. We have formally requested a substantive written response within fifteen days and submitted a detailed letter outlining urgent concerns,” the statement said.

In her letter, Minassian presented several requests to the Azerbaijani side, including:

• Immediate provision to all Armenian detainees of the official text of their verdicts in a language they understand.
• Ensuring detainees and their families are promptly informed about any transfer decisions, including the destination facility and date of transfer.
• Facilitating an independent assessment of detention conditions and the physical and psychological state of each detainee.
• Guaranteeing regular family contact, including uninterrupted telephone communication.
• Confirming receipt of the letter and providing a substantive written response within fifteen days.

“Transparency, access to information and respect for basic human dignity cannot be indefinitely delayed. The detainees on whose behalf I write are human beings entitled to the full protection of their rights under Azerbaijani law and international human rights standards,” the letter states.

Earlier, Argentine-Armenian lawyer Luciana Minassian represented the interests of Armenian detainee Vicken Euljeckjian, who had been held in Baku.