US consistently calls for Azerbaijan to respect prisoners’ rights – State Dept.

The United States consistently calls for Azerbaijan to respect the rights of prisoners, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

His comments came in response to a question from journalist Haykaram Naapetyan about the fate of Ruben Vardanyan and other Armenian prisoners illegally detained in Azerbaijan.

“At this point, actually the American lawyer of one of them Jared Genser, the lawyer of Ruben Vardanyan, says his access to Azerbaijan is being denied. He’s not allowed to see the person whom he’s supposed to defend. So I was wondering if you have any comments on this and if there is anything that the administration or the embassy to Azerbaijan can do to make sure that the basic rights of Armenians in the prisons of Azerbaijan are protected?” the reporter asked.

“When it comes to the status of prisoners being held inside Azerbaijan – and without speaking to any one particular case – you have seen us consistently call for Azerbaijan to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all persons inside its country, including prisoners. You have seen us take actions when we have not seen Azerbaijan respecting the fundamental human rights of all persons inside Azerbaijan, and we’ll continue to pursue that policy,” Miller replied.