Mamikon Khojoyan’s family files suit against Azerbaijan to ECHR

The family of Mamikon Khojoyan who died soon after his release from Azerbaijani captivity has filed a lawsuit to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The complaint was drafted with the assistance of Against Legal Arbitrariness NGO and European Center for Human Rights Protection.

Khojoyan’s family asks the court to start criminal proceedings against the Azerbaijani government under Articles 2, 3, 5, 13 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights that ban murder, torture, inhuman treatment and discrimination. The family also urges the ECHR to examine similar cases of other Armenian citizens who were subjected to torture by Azerbaijani authorities, including Arthur Badalyan and Karen Petrosyan.

“It is a graphic example of special cruelty committed against a helpless 77-year-old man,” said lawyer Vahe Grigoryan who represents the Khojoyans in ECHR.

Mamikon Khojoyan, a 77-year-old resident of Armenia’s border village of Verin Karmiraghbyur, crossed into Azerbaijani territory on January 28, 2014. He suffered from a mental problem.

On March 4 Azerbaijan handed over M. Khojoyan to the Armenian side under the patronage of ICRC.

After his release M. Khojoyan underwent a medical examination at Ijevan city medical center. The examination showed that the elderly man was tortured in Azerbaijan: numerous traces of violence such as scratches, bruises, fractures, etc. were found on his body.