The UN Committee against Torture has expressed serious concern over the detention of 23 Armenians in the Azerbaijani capital Baku in the absence of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), informs the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations.

At the at 80th session of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee Interactive Dialogue with the Chair of the Committee against Torture, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, and the Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the delegation of Armenia reaffirmed Armenia’s unwavering commitment to the universal and absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The delegation emphasized its deep concern that credible reports of torture continue to emerge in certain

States, often in politically motivated cases, within closed detention systems and in the context of armed conflicts, constituting a blatant violation of international law. It recalled that the Committee against Torture, in its latest concluding observations, voiced serious concern over the ongoing detention of 23 Armenian individuals. These concerns remain pressing, as the situation continues to endanger the rights, safety, and dignity of those affected, particularly given the lack of international access, including by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).