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Nagorno-Karabakh is the "most unfree territory in the world" after its takeover by Azerbaijan, a reporter told U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel at a press briefing.

Patel was asked to comment on Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and politicians from Nagorno-Karabakh held in the prisons of Azerbaijan.

"According to Freedom House, after Karabakh territory came under Azerbaijani control, Karabakh is the most unfree territory in the world. It’s worse than North Korea. It’s worse than Venezuela, Syria, Afghanistan, you name it.

"So the question is whether you follow this situation with the collapse of liberties and civil society in Nagorno-Karabakh, if you have any comments on this, and is there anything that this administration can do to help the detained Armenians in – that are jailed in Azerbaijan, whether to – you can help them to release – to be released or assist in any other form?" the journalist asked.

"So on the context of the broader situation in the South Caucasus, this is something that the Secretary and the department continue to be deeply engaged on. I don’t have any updates for you as it relates to that process. And look, when it comes to detainees, we have been clear and consistent that any country needs to treat all detainees humanely, with dignity, and in accordance with international law, and needs to respect detainees’ human rights, and that continues to be true in this case as well," Patel said.