Torture of Armenian prisoners in Baku is systematic: Siranush Sahakyan

Siranush Sahakyan, human rights defender and representative of the interests of Armenian prisoners at the ECHR, said that the torture of those held in Baku is systematic and accompanied by inhuman treatment. According to her, the conclusions are drawn by comparing facts and applying a clear methodology: “If you compare the facts, there is no doubt that torture is taking place and is prolonged.”

She stressed that the documentation work continues, including on the basis of testimony from released prisoners and medical records. These data make it possible to retrospectively confirm instances of torture and inhuman treatment.

“The testimony of the person who was subjected to torture is extremely important. Many cases on these facts have already been recorded,” Sahakyan noted.

At the same time, the human rights defender pointed to serious restrictions on access to the information needed to assess the prisoners’ condition. Contact with them is possible only by phone, and the last in-person meeting took place in December 2025. No monitoring was carried out in 2026, and new information came only through the ECHR, in the form of documents provided by the Azerbaijani side.

According to her, the materials included prisoner cards with redacted data, photographs taken at the moment of detention, and the results of some medical examinations. However, it is impossible to identify the cells or the link between them and the detainees. Sahakyan recalled that earlier, photographs of the premises showed Armenian prisoners, which made it possible to assess their condition at least partially. This time there were no such photographs, which, in her view, may point to a negative trend.

She stressed that the restrictions concern not only access for independent observers but also the receipt of information that would allow an objective assessment of the prisoners’ physical condition.