Red Cross Delivers Parcels to Armenian Prisoners in Baku During June Visit, Despite Azerbaijan’s Ban on Mandate

Armenian prisoners held in the capital of Azerbaijan were finally visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in June, despite ongoing concerns over Azerbaijan’s decision not to renew the organization’s mandate in the country earlier this year.

Zara Amatuni, Communications and Prevention Manager of the ICRC Armenia Office, confirmed the latest visit to The Armenian Report, saying: “ICRC representatives visited Armenians in [Azerbaijani capital] Baku again in June, whose names were confirmed to our organization by the Azerbaijani authorities.”

These visits are critical, as they allow Armenian detainees—many believed to be prisoners of war—to maintain contact with their families and receive basic support while in custody. Amatuni added: “The most recent visit took place in June. Prisoners were given the opportunity to communicate with their family members, and this time we even delivered parcels from families.”

She emphasized that further details about the visit could not be shared due to confidentiality rules that the ICRC upholds in its humanitarian work. “I cannot share further information, as it is confidential,” Amatuni stated.

This June visit follows a previous one in March 2025. According to Amatuni, the ICRC is doing what it can to continue supporting these Armenian prisoners under increasingly difficult conditions. “Our organization is in negotiations with the authorities to maintain a continued presence and provide support on certain issues. I cannot say in what format this will be carried out, but the last visit to Armenian prisoners was conducted in March,” she said.

In March 2025, Azerbaijan publicly declared that it would not renew the ICRC’s mandate within its borders. Azerbaijani authorities claimed that they no longer saw the need for the continued presence of an international humanitarian organization.

This decision has alarmed Armenia and multiple international bodies. The ICRC is one of the only independent organizations with access to detainees in Baku, and its presence has helped ensure a minimum standard of treatment for prisoners and accountability for their well-being.

By blocking a permanent ICRC presence, Azerbaijan risks leaving these Armenian prisoners in isolation, without regular monitoring, legal protection, or humanitarian aid.

Many of the detainees are former residents and leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh—an Armenian-populated region forcefully emptied by Azerbaijan in September 2023 following a deadly military attack. Others may be civilians or soldiers captured during the years of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The ICRC is internationally recognized for its neutral and humanitarian role in conflict zones. Its visits to prisoners of war and detained civilians are critical for delivering supplies, ensuring proper treatment, and relaying messages between detainees and their families.

Armenian officials and human rights groups have repeatedly called for transparent and regular access to these prisoners, fearing that in the absence of organizations like the Red Cross, detainees could face mistreatment, abuse, or disappear without a trace.

While June’s visit is a hopeful sign that some form of communication and support continues, the future remains uncertain. With the Red Cross negotiating behind the scenes for continued access, families of detainees wait anxiously for updates.

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