The Azerbaijani press reports that former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, who was arrested earlier today by Azerbaijani border troops as he attempted to leave Karabakh for Armenia, has been taken to Baku.

“Vardanyan was handed over to the relevant state bodies to make a decision regarding the detainee,” according to Azerbaijani media reports.

Vardanyan served as state minister from November 2022 to February 2023.