Armenian POW’s Lawyer Appeals to Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner as Family Endures Month Without Contact

An attorney representing Armenian prisoner Ludwig Mkrtchyan has appealed to Azerbaijan's human rights commissioner, seeking urgent humanitarian intervention as concerns intensify over his deteriorating health and his family's inability to contact him for more than a month.

Attorney Luciana Minassian confirmed to The Armenian Report that she has formally submitted an appeal to Azerbaijan's Commissioner for Human Rights, Sabina Aliyeva. According to Minassian, the commissioner's office has acknowledged receiving the request, and she is now awaiting a response.

In the letter, Minassian asks the commissioner to facilitate an immediate supervised phone call between Mkrtchyan and his wife, Hranush Shahbazyan, and to ensure he receives the medical examination and treatment his condition requires without further delay.

The appeal comes a day after The Armenian Report reported that Mkrtchyan's health had reportedly deteriorated and that his family had gone more than a month without hearing from him.

According to the attorney, recent medical findings indicate a serious decline in Mkrtchyan's condition. The appeal states that his white blood cell count has reached 14.27, nearly twice the normal range, pointing to significant inflammation. It also cites left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction and aortic insufficiency, along with repeated episodes of fainting, headaches, dizziness and chest pain.

Shahbazyan last spoke with her husband on June 19. During that conversation, Mkrtchyan told her he had collapsed after suffering severe weakness and had been taken for a cardiac examination. According to Minassian, the family has received no diagnosis or official explanation regarding his condition since that call.

Minassian said her request is based solely on humanitarian grounds. She argued that allowing even one supervised phone call would give Mkrtchyan's family the opportunity to confirm that he is alive while ensuring he receives the medical attention his condition requires.

Mkrtchyan, 56, has been held in Baku for nearly six years.

His case has added to growing international concern over Armenians imprisoned in Azerbaijan. According to official figures, 19 Armenian prisoners remain in Azerbaijani custody, including the former political and military leaders of Artsakh, many of whom have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 20 years or life imprisonment.

Lawyers representing the detainees and international human rights advocates have repeatedly called on Azerbaijan to provide greater transparency regarding the prisoners' health, guarantee access to legal counsel and communication with their families, and uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law.

The Armenian Report will continue to follow the case and report on any response from Azerbaijani authorities or the human rights commissioner's office.

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