NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS DEMAND IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION OF THE ICRC IN THE PROTECTION OF ARMENIAN PRISONERS HELD IN AZERBAIJAN

Today, on March 3, a demonstration took place near the Yerevan office of the Red Cross, aimed at demanding the ICRC to immediately visit Ruben Vardanyan, who has been on hunger strike for 14 days and whose life is in danger.

During the demonstration initiated by the “We are Our Mountains” Development Agency and “Artsakh” Union, an Open Letter addressed to ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger was officially handed to the ICRC Yerevan office. About 40 non-governmental organizations have joined the letter.

The Open Letter particularly notes that photos distributed by Azerbaijani media show visible injuries and clear signs of torture on Ruben Vardanyan’s face.

The letter emphasizes the ICRC’s special role in protecting prisoners’ rights and preventing torture:

“ The ICRC has exclusive mandate in the field of prisoner protection. Therefore, your intervention in this situation is not only justified but also essential. Your role is particularly critical in monitoring the treatment of prisoners prosecuted on political grounds and preventing violations of international humanitarian law, which is a fundamental principle of the Geneva Conventions.
We trust that this issue will be treated with the utmost urgency and that immediate action will be taken to prevent potentially tragic consequences.”

During the demonstration, Artak Beglaryan, President of the “Artsakh” Union, stated that our compatriots who are falsely and illegally convicted in Baku are subjected to visible and invisible forms of cruel deprivation solely for being Armenian and for defending the freedoms and rights of their people. He emphasized that “one of the urgent issues is saving Ruben Vardanyan’s life by ending his hunger strike and eliminating its causes.”

“Of course, the primary responsibility lies with the state institutions of the Republic of Armenia, but our public voice and actions are important in putting pressure on both local and international actors, which can gradually transform into pressure on Aliyev,” noted Beglaryan.

The non-governmental organizations have called on the ICRC to:

1. Immediately visit Ruben Vardanyan to conduct an independent medical assessment.
2. Ensure impartial monitoring of his health condition.
3. Address the causes of Ruben Vardanyan’s hunger strike and mediate to ensure the protection of his fundamental rights.
4. Present an impartial report on the detention conditions of Armenian prisoners.
5. Take immediate measures to end the hunger strike while addressing the underlying concerns that have led to this extreme step.
6. Conduct regular visits to all Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijani prisons.
7. Act as an independent mediator between Armenian prisoners and Azerbaijani authorities to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and advocate for their immediate release.