Ruben Vardanyan, the former State Minister of Artsakh and an Armenian political prisoner held in Azerbaijan, has been transferred to the Umbaki prison complex in Baku, a high-security detention facility associated with stricter conditions and limited access.
The transfer was confirmed by Siranush Sahakyan, head of the Center for International and Comparative Law and legal representative of Armenian captives at the European Court of Human Rights, who said the information was conveyed by Vardanyan’s family.
Located in Baku’s Garadagh district, the Umbaki complex is a newly built penitentiary used for both pre-trial detainees and convicted prisoners. While Azerbaijani authorities describe it as a modern facility, transfers there have been linked to tighter control regimes, reduced in-person contact with family members, and increased isolation.
Vardanyan was taken hostage by Azerbaijani forces in September 2023 in the aftermath of the forced displacement of the Armenian population of Artsakh. His detention is part of Azerbaijan’s ongoing holding of Armenian political prisoners following the events in Artsakh.
No official details have been released regarding the conditions of his detention following the transfer.
The fate and current whereabouts of other Armenian hostages held in Baku remain unknown.
