Anahit Manasyan: Information about kidnapping of our citizens by  Azerbaijan has been sent to international partners

ArmInfo. Information about the kidnapping of our Citizens by Azerbaijan has been sent to  international partners.

Human Rights Defender of Armenia Anahit Manasyan told journalists  during a briefing, answering a question about the kidnapping of the  former Artsakh State Minister, famous philanthropist, businessman  Ruben Vardanyan.

The Defender emphasized that she made numerous statements about the  abduction of our compatriots.  Defining such actions by Azerbaijan as  an extremely dangerous phenomenon, she noted that this leads to a  violation of international guarantees in the context of the  protection of human rights. "I can't say anything new. I am in touch  with our international partners, informing them about what is  happening. As in previous cases, so in this one," Manasyan said.

At the same time, she said that at this stage, work is being carried  out to collect facts about torture committed by Azerbaijanis against  the population of Artsakh through conversations with forcibly  displaced citizens. "When everything is summed up, we will make an  appropriate statement," she said.  As of September 28, 2:00 p.m  70,500 people forcibly displaced persons entered Armenia from  Nagorno- Karabakh.

Ruben Vardanyan was detained by Azerbaijan on September 27 while  trying to leave for Armenia. He moved to Nagorno-Karabakh on  September 1, 2022, becoming Minister of State on November 4, 2022. On  February 23, 2023, he was dismissed.  Azerbaijani court has ruled to  arrest former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan for  four months. He faces 14 years in prison. Earlier, the Azerbaijani  Border Service reported that Vardanyan was accused of "financing  terrorism."