ICRC representative: Confidentiality is the only way to regularly  visit Armenian prisoners in Baku

ArmInfo. Confidentiality is crucial  for the organization to be able to regularly visit Armenian  prisoners in Baku, as stated by Zara Amatuni, Head of Communications  Programs at the Yerevan Office of the International Committee of the  Red Cross (ICRC), in an interview with journalists at a protest in  support of  former State Minister of Artsakh and philanthropist Ruben  Vardanyan, who is currently on a hunger strike, as well as other  Armenian prisoners  who are being held in Azerbaijani prisons and   subjected to torture.

Representatives from the "We Are Our Mountains" Development Agency  and the Artsakh Union public organization took part in a protest,  demanding the release of Armenian prisoners held in Baku. The  protesters gathered at the ICRC office to hand over an open letter to  the President of this international humanitarian organization,  Mirjana Spoljaric-Egger. The letter highlights the health condition  of Ruben Vardanyan, who is on a hunger strike, and condemns the  illegal actions taken against other Armenian prisoners of war.

Zara Amatuni, who spoke to the protesters, mentioned in a  conversation with journalists that the ICRC staff had met with Ruben  Vardanyan, who had already declared a hunger strike, during their  visit to the prisoners in February. She also assured that the ICRC,  as a neutral intermediary, fully utilizes all available opportunities  provided  by international humanitarian law.  "Confidential work in  this direction is the only format thorough which we can consistently  visit prisoners.  We hope that these opportunities will remain in the  future and allow us to continue assessing their condition," Amatuni  explained. She reported that during the last visit, the ICRC team  included their doctor, who was able to examine the Armenian prisoners  and assess their condition as an impartial specialist.

When journalists asked for the ICRC doctor's assessments  of   Vardanyan's health, Amatuni noted that this information is  confidential. The organization, as per its mandate, can discuss this  issue only with the party responsible for their fate. According to  her, the ICRC cannot discuss this issue with a third party, much let  alone with the public.  "The organization has the right to raise the  issue at the highest levels if no progress in made in resolving the  problem. However, we don't have the right to disclose what is  specifically documented during our visits," the ICRC representative  said.

In turn, the first ombudsman of Armenia and human rights activist,  Larisa Alaverdyan, noted that individuals can appeal against illegal  actions towards Armenian prisoners to many other international  institutions. Alaverdyan explained that the demand should be  addressed to the UN Committee Against Torture and the European  Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading  Treatment or Punishment. She confirmed that any information received  by the organization should not be made public, as confidentiality has  previously helped to find the locations of thousands of missing  persons. "I am sure that there are methods that have yet to be used,  and our plea is to go beyond  what is currently possible," the human  rights activist said.

During the protest, state official and former Minister of Education,  Science and Sports of the NKR Narine Aghabalyan mentioned that the  ICRC is the only organization with access to prisoners and the  ability to maintain contact with their relatives. Aghabalyan  emphasized the need for immediate intervention by the International  Committee of the Red Cross and other international organizations to  investigate the facts of torture and take appropriate measures.  Additionally, Aghabalyan noted that if  the Armenian authorities had  responded adequately to the situation concerning Armenian prisoners  of war, the outcome might have been different  today.