Azerbaijan Detains Former Leader of Nagorno-Karabakh at Border

According to officials, Azerbaijan has arrested Ruben Vardanyan, the former leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, as he attempted to leave the enclave for Armenia. Vardanyan, a businessman who headed the separatist government from November 2022 until February, was among thousands of ethnic Armenians trying to flee the area. In total, 47,115 Armenians have now escaped Nagorno-Karabakh, which was seized by Azerbaijan last week. Vardanyan's wife has called for support to secure his safe release, stating that he has supported the people of Arsakh during their struggle for survival. The Azerbaijani border service stated that Vardanyan had been taken to the capital, Baku, and handed over to other state agencies. As thousands of ethnic Armenians crossed the border, they faced intense scrutiny from Azerbaijani border control. Azerbaijani authorities claimed they were searching for "war crimes" suspects but planned to grant amnesty to Armenian fighters who surrendered. However, they stressed that those who committed war crimes during the Karabakh conflicts should be handed over. Nagorno-Karabakh, recognized as part of Azerbaijan, had been controlled by ethnic Armenians for 30 years. Fresh violence concerns arose when Azerbaijan imposed a blockade on a crucial route into the enclave in December 2022. Talks have begun between Azerbaijan and Karabakh authorities regarding the integration of the region into Azerbaijan, though many ethnic Armenians fear they have no future there. Armenia's prime minister accused Azerbaijan of "ethnic cleansing" in the region. The Karabakh authorities reported at least 200 deaths in the recent fighting, while Azerbaijan stated that 192 of its soldiers had been killed. Traffic jams and overloaded vehicles filled with belongings have been observed on the road from Karabakh to Armenia. Western governments have been urging Azerbaijan to allow international observers into Karabakh to monitor the treatment of the local population. On Tuesday, Germany joined these calls, with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock requesting "transparency." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also urged Azerbaijan's President to ensure protection and freedom of movement for civilians and unrestricted humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to respect human rights.