Mamikon Khojoyan, freed from Azerbaijani captivity, dies

Mamikon Khojoyan, a resident of Varin Karmiraghbyur village in Armenia’s Tavush province who was held captive in Azerbaijan and freed this spring, has died today aged 77, Aysor.am was informed by Larisa Alaverdyan, first Armenian Ombudsperson, Director of Against Legal Arbitrariness Fund, member of Armenia’s State Commission on POWs and Hostages.

Ms. Alaverdyan expressed confidence that Mamikon Khojoyan died because of tortures he underwent during his captivity. In her words, M. Khojoyan’s death was probably caused by a substance dangerous to life and health that was found in the elderly man’s blood.

She stressed that they will closely follow the examination of his case by the European Court of Human Rights.

On March 4, 2014, 77-year-old Mamikon Khojoyan was handed over by Azerbaijan to Armenia under the patronage of ICRC employees. The man had health problems and was taken captive by pure accident.

M. Khojoyan was immediately taken to Ijevan medical center where medical examinations showed that the elderly man was subjected to torture in Azerbaijan. Numerous traces of violence (scratches, bruises, fractures and other injuries) were found on his body.