International Press Reports on Ruben Vardanyan's Torture

International media outlets have reported on the appeal submitted to the UN Committee Against Torture by the international legal team of Ruben Vardanyan, who is being held illegally in Azerbaijan. The appeal urges the committee to condemn the torture and cruel treatment that Vardanyan has been subjected to by the Azerbaijani government.

Reuters specifically quoted Jared Genser, Vardanyan's international legal advisor, who stated, "It is remarkable that Azerbaijan views Ruben Vardanyan as a threat and is attempting to silence him through arbitrary detention and, more recently, also through torture. If Azerbaijan wants to be taken seriously on the international stage, it must immediately cease these actions and release Vardanyan and other Armenian prisoners."

French publication Le Figaro also provided an extensive coverage of the situation, noting that Ruben Vardanyan's family is gravely concerned about his condition. The publication recalls that Vardanyan, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, is currently being tortured in a Baku prison.

Le Figaro quoted the words of Ruben Vardanyan's elder son, David Vardanyan, who recounted the nature of the torture they had learned about, stating, "He has not been allowed to sleep or sit. He was deprived of drinking water for two days, and he has not had hygiene supplies."

The publication also reminds that 22 other Armenians, including former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh, are being held alongside Vardanyan in Baku. It is noted that Vardanyan had gone to Nagorno-Karabakh to assist the local population. During his time there, he succeeded in drawing the international community's attention to the issues surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and the situation prevailing there. "It is precisely Vardanyan's charismatic personality and his audible voice on the international stage that have made him a target for the Azerbaijani authorities," wrote Le Figaro.