Human Rights Watch reports on Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan

Human Rights Watch has reported on the conditions of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan, including former Nagorno-Karabakh official Ruben Vardanyan. Vardanyan, serving a 20-year sentence, claims that he and 18 other detainees are being deprived of regular contact with their families, adequate physical exercise, and necessary medical examinations.

Vardanyan stated that prisoners are granted only 20 to 40 minutes of outdoor activity per day, rather than the standard hour, and lack access to video calls or weekly phone calls. While the Azerbaijani Human Rights Commissioner's office has denied these allegations, the International Committee of the Red Cross noted that visits to detainees have become less frequent following the closure of its representative office by the Azerbaijani government.

In separate domestic news, the Armenian government has proposed a six-month ban on the import and export of certain mercury-containing products to protect public health and the environment, in compliance with the Minamata Convention. Additionally, Armenian police reported significant traffic violations in Yerevan and regional areas, including hundreds of cases of driving under the influence and unlicensed driving. In a criminal matter, the Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested two individuals identified as ‘thieves-in-law’ following a dispute in Yerevan.