The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) has called on Azerbaijan to respect the rights of the former Minister of State of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Ruben Vardanyan, who was arrested by the Azerbaijani authorities. This was reported to TASS by UNHCR spokesperson Elizabeth Trossell, in response to a request to comment on Vardanyan's imprisonment in Azerbaijan.

Trossell said that they call on the Azerbaijani authorities to take all measures to ensure that due process and fair trial rights are respected—as required by international human rights law.

It is imperative that the rights of Ruben Vardanyan and any other detainee be fully respected and protected, added the UNHCR spokesperson.