International Prosecutor Calls on UN to Nullify Opinion on Ruben Vardanyan

International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has urged a UN working group to nullify its opinion regarding Ruben Vardanyan, the former prime minister of Artsakh, who has been detained by Azerbaijan. Ocampo noted in his professional assessment that there is a conflict of interest and that the report cannot be deemed objective.

The UN's working group on arbitrary detention (WGAD) concluded that Vardanyan's detention by Azerbaijan was not arbitrary. Furthermore, the claims made by the Armenian side, alleging that Vardanyan was arrested for defending his rights, were deemed unfounded.

Ukrainian lawyer Hanna Yudkivska, the current chair of WGAD, should recuse herself from all cases brought against Azerbaijan, Ocampo argued. He pointed out that there is a conflict of interest as she is an active partner at Equity Law Firm, which has provided services to Azerbaijan's state oil company (SOCAR) for years. This establishes a direct financial link between her and the Azerbaijani government.

According to Ocampo, all the documents reviewed clearly stipulate that mandate holders must act independently, impartially, and free from external influences, and require that they recuse themselves when a conflict of interest may arise.