Argentine lawyer: I`m deeply alarmed by the situation of Armenian  prisoners held in Azerbaijan 

ArmInfo.Luciana Minassian, an Argentine-Armenian lawyer  and head of the SOAR's Buenos Aires branch, has sent an urgent appeal to Azerbaijani Ombudsperson Sabina Aliyeva, urging to ensure universal human rights   for Armenians held captive.

The statement published by SOAR - Buenos Aires  reads as follows:  "I'm deeply alarmed by the situation of Armenian prisoners held in  Azerbaijan, including Ruben Vardanyan. On March 13, during a phone  call with his family, Ruben attempted to publicly address  Azerbaijan's Ombudsperson, Sabina Aliyeva, after ten days of  unsuccessful attempts to reach her through his lawyer, written  requests, and phone calls. The call was forcibly terminated before he  could finish his appeal. This attempt came as a last resort. More  than a month after the trials concluded, neither Ruben nor, to our  knowledge, the other Armenian prisoners have received the official  texts of their verdicts - not in Russian, Armenian, or Azerbaijani.  They still do not know under which charges they were disappointed,  nor when or where they will be transferred. I'm concerned by the  current situation.

The absence of reliable information about his condition and the  condition of the other Armenian prisoners, combined with the  dismantling of independent human rights mechanisms in Azerbaijan  -including the departure of the International Committee of the Red  Cross -leaves all prisoners without any meaningful institutional  protection. Families are left in uncertainty and distress, relying  only on rare and brief phone calls as the last fragile link with  their loved ones. We fear that even this minimal form of contact may  soon be cut off entirely. Transparency, access to information, and  basic humanitarian safeguards must be ensured. The rights and dignity  of these prisoners cannot remain in silence. The fragile conditions  of some detainees who returned to Armenia during January 14th, 2026,  is overwhelming. As Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Aliyeva holds  both the mandate and the responsibility to act. We have formally  requested a substantive written response within fifteen (15) days and  have submitted a detailed letter outlining these urgent concerns."

Also, Luciana Minassian published a letter addressed to Sabina  Aliyeva outlining specific demands.  Specifically, to ensure the  immediate provision to all Armenian prisoners of official verdicts in  a language they understand and to promptly notify prisoners and their  families of any transfer decisions, including the destination and  date of transfer; to facilitate an independent assessment of the  conditions of detention and the physical and psychological condition  of each remaining prisoner; to guarantee continued regular family  contact, including telephone communication, without restrictions or  reprisals; to acknowledge receipt of this letter and provide a  substantive written response within fifteen days.  "Transparency,  access to information, and the preservation of basic human dignity  are issues that cannot be postponed indefinitely. The prisoners on  whose behalf I am writing are entitled to the full protection of  their rights in accordance with Azerbaijani law and international  human rights standards. I urge your office to act with the urgency  that this situation  demands," Minassian's statement reads.