Statement from Ruben Vardanyan's Defense Team

The former high-ranking official of Artsakh, Ruben Vardanyan, currently detained in Azerbaijan, has seen his lawyers file claims in Baku today, asserting that he has been subjected to torture and deprived of his right to a prompt trial. This was reported by Reuters.

Azerbaijani authorities have declined to comment on the legal claims. According to the lawyers, the treatment Vardanyan has received from Azerbaijani law enforcement can be classified as torture. In response to Vardanyan's hunger strike, he was transferred to a punitive cell, made to stand for extended periods, denied access to showers, and went without water for two days.

In another claim, Vardanyan's lawyers argue that his right to a speedy trial has been violated due to his detention since last year. The legal representatives have also called on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian detainees before the climate summit scheduled to take place in Baku in November.

In a separate claim, the Russian-language Azerbaijani newspaper “Baku Worker” has been accused of defaming Vardanyan. Baku is preparing to host the COP29 conference on climate change in November, with expectations that the human rights situation in the country will come under closer scrutiny ahead of this event, particularly concerning the imprisonment of journalists and activists, which has raised concerns from the United States and the European Union.