At the European Court of Human Rights, Siranush Sahakyan, who represents the interests of Armenian prisoners of war, announced that there have been suicide attempts among Armenian detainees held in Baku’s prisons, reports RFE/RL.
She said prisoners recently had the chance to call their relatives, during which these cases were revealed. Sahakyan did not disclose names but stressed that the attempts involved not former Artsakh political and military leaders, but other detainees.
“Unfortunately, I cannot specify… These attempts occurred after the suspension of Red Cross visits and were repeated, showing a direct link between the halt of ICRC activities, isolation, and human suffering,” Sahakyan emphasized.
According to her, the detainees have been held in complete isolation for about two months. With no international independent organization granted access, there is no information on their living conditions or on their physical and psychological state.
The International Committee of the Red Cross last visited Armenian prisoners in June. On September 3, Azerbaijani authorities ordered the suspension of its operations in Baku.
“In recent days, during phone calls, families noticed serious health problems and obvious psychological distress. The sense of despair is deepening,” Sahakyan added.
Official data states that 23 Armenian prisoners remain in detention in Baku’s prisons.
