Lawyer warns of limited data on prisoners’ health

PanARMENIAN.Net - It is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain information about Armenians illegally convicted in Baku and their health condition, said human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan, who represents Armenian prisoners’ interests at the European Court of Human Rights, Sputnik Armenia reports.

She noted that, following the conclusion of trials, the International Committee of the Red Cross has been expelled and no international body is conducting independent human rights monitoring.

“Not only have we lost access to fragmented visual information, but even that limited data is disappearing. Previously, certain instances of torture were identified through photo analysis, but now information is becoming increasingly restricted,” she said.

According to Sahakyan, it is still possible to obtain some official information through the European Court of Human Rights, but such data is often formal in nature, including regarding detainees’ health.

“When we compare this information with objective data available to us, reports from phone calls about health conditions, and official documents, we see a major gap. There are truly serious health risks, yet they are not properly recorded, and in general, no adequate medical services or care are provided to ensure proper health conditions. Their state is worsening, and life-threatening risks are increasing,” she stated.

She added that during phone calls with families, detainees frequently complained about health issues, while changes in voice or difficulty speaking sometimes indicated respiratory or lung problems.

Sahakyan also highlighted another issue: convicted Armenians have not been able to familiarize themselves with the verdicts issued against them.

“In effect, these staged trials were conducted to ‘justify’ their guilt, yet from the beginning, they were deprived of the opportunity to understand the charges against them and defend themselves. We have one case where only an excerpt was provided, while in other cases neither the full verdict nor even an extract has been given,” she said.

In her assessment, withholding verdicts is a deliberate step aimed at obstructing the ability to defend their rights in international courts.

Sahakyan noted that they plan to initiate international legal processes in the form of individual applications, regardless of state actions.

She also recalled that a month ago, together with other human rights defenders and organizations, they appealed to international bodies, calling for urgent measures to protect the rights of Armenians held in Baku and secure their release.

According to her, international organizations have responded, and the issue remains in focus globally, although the Azerbaijani side has often reacted with harsh rhetoric, which she said indicates the significant impact of international pressure.

The trial of former political and military leaders of Artsakh, which began in January 2025, has concluded, and verdicts were announced on February 5, 2026. Several former officials were sentenced to various prison terms, including life imprisonment. On February 17, 2026, the case of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan also concluded, resulting in a 20-year prison sentence.