37 organizations call on ICRC President to visit Armenians illegally detained in Baku

An action was held near the Yerevan office of the Red Cross on March 3 to demand that the ICRC immediately visit Ruben Vardanyan, who is illegally held in a Baku prison, has been on a hunger strike for the last 14 days, and whose life is in danger.

According to the "We Are Our Mountains" development agency, the participants of the action delivered an open letter to the President of the ICRC, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger.

The letter addressed by 37 organizations, reads as follows:

"Distinguished President Spoljaric Egger,

We are writing to you with deep concern regarding the health condition of Ruben Vardanyan, who has been on a hunger strike for over two weeks while being held in a Baku prison, as well as the situation of other Armenian political prisoners who are being illegally prosecuted in Azerbaijan.

According to reports in the Azerbaijani press, during a court hearing on February 25, Ruben Vardanyan's health deteriorated. However, despite this, the court session continued. Moreover, in the widely circulated photographs, visible injuries and apparent traces of torture can be seen on his face.

Given that he is being illegally prosecuted on political grounds and has been on a prolonged hunger strike, his condition could rapidly worsen, leading to irreversible consequences. Equally concerning is the situation of other Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan, who are also being prosecuted on political grounds and subjected to unfair treatment and ethnically motivated persecution. 

Moreover, documented cases of torture against Armenian captives in Azerbaijan, along with reports from Armenian authorities, the UN and CoE anti-torture committees and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, demonstrate the existence of a systemic torture regime in Azerbaijan.

These documents show that torture is particularly brutal toward ethnic Armenians due to an anti-Armenian hatred ideology. Therefore, we have substantial basis to suspect potential torture cases against all other Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan.

In this context, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as an independent humanitarian organization, is obligated to act in accordance with its mandate and the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law. Therefore, we urge you to:

• Conduct an immediate visit to Ruben Vardanyan to carry out an independent medical assessment.
• Ensure impartial monitoring of his health condition and guarantee that he receives the necessary medical care. For sure, the same approach should be applicable also to all the other Armenian detainees.
• Address the causes of Ruben Vardanyan's hunger strike and mediate to ensure the protection of his fundamental rights. In this regard, special attention should be given to uncovering the causes of the evident facial injuries, for which the Azerbaijani side bears a particular obligation.
• Present an impartial report on the detention conditions and treatment of Ruben Vardanyan and other Armenian prisoners, in line with international standards.
• Take immediate measures to end the hunger strike while simultaneously addressing the underlying concerns that have led to this extreme step. It is essential that the ICRC's next scheduled visit does not come too late.
• Conduct regular visits to all Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijani prisons to ensure their fair treatment.
• Act as an independent mediator between Armenian prisoners and Azerbaijani authorities to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and advocate for their immediate release.

The ICRC has exclusive jurisdiction and a mandate in the field of prisoner protection. Therefore, your intervention in this situation is not only justified but necessary.

Your role is particularly critical in monitoring the treatment of prisoners prosecuted on political grounds and in preventing violations of international humanitarian law, which is a fundamental principle of the Geneva Conventions.

We trust that this issue will be treated as a matter of urgency and that immediate action will be taken to prevent potentially tragic consequences.

We look forward to your prompt response.''