[REVISION HISTORY]

Armenia-Azerbaijan human rights and border disputes

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2026-09-24 16:47 UTC → 2026-10-08 15:52 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Ruben Vardanyan, former state minister of Artsakh, has issued a public appeal to Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner, Sabina Aliyeva, regarding the treatment of Armenian prisoners held at the Umbaki penitentiary complex. Vardanyan, who is serving a 20-year sentence and is detained with 18 other Armenian citizens, alleges systemic violations of Azerbaijan’s own legal framework. Specific complaints include the denial of weekly telephone and video calls, lack of access to medical examinations, refusal of notarial services, and restricted physical exercise. Vardanyan noted that prisoners are granted only 20 to 40 minutes of outdoor activity per day, rather than the standard hour. Human Rights Watch has reported on these conditions, noting that the cessation of International Committee of the Red Cross activities—following the closure of its representative office by the Azerbaijani government—has increased the isolation of detainees. In response to these reports, legal expert Ara Ghazaryan criticized the Azerbaijani Ombudsman's office, describing its claims that detainees are being monitored according to international standards as ‘primitive’. Regarding regional stability, former Armenian Prime Minister Hrant Baghratyan addressed border disputes, asserting that no enclaves exist within Armenia based on 1988 protocols and geographical coordinates. He specifically noted that Azerbaijan did not demand Tigranashen during previous negotiations because its Armenian identity was recognized through documentation and census data. Armenian lawmaker Lilit Galstyan has since called for a humanitarian visit to Baku to assess the condition of prisoners of war and other detainees. Addressing the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Galstyan reported that detainees have faced closed-door trials for nearly three years and noted that information from the European Court of Human Rights has raised concerns regarding their physical and psychological well-being. She emphasized that no neutral third party has been permitted to visit and urged the OSCE to take concrete action.

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