Mother of Armenian Soldier Held in Azerbaijan Lacks Information on Her Son's Detention Conditions: Lawyers Apply to ECHR

Since August 2019, the mother of Armenian soldier Ara Ghazaryan, Karine Mnatsakanyan, has had no information on her son's whereabouts, the grounds for his detention, or the conditions of his captivity. Moreover, with her bitter experience of the poor treatment of Armenians in Azerbaijan, she perceives a direct threat to her son's physical safety, casting doubt on the prospects of a fair trial and his release in Azerbaijan.

This was reported by the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly. It should be noted that according to official information, Ara Ghazaryan was last seen in Armenian territory on August 12, 2019. It is believed that on the same day, around noon, he got lost near the border between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, mistakenly crossed into an area under Azerbaijani control, and was arrested by Azerbaijani forces.

According to available information, since his arrest on August 12, 2019, Ara Ghazaryan has been held in Azerbaijan under the command of Azerbaijani authorities or under secret agreements, without the possibility of contact with the outside world. Since that day, he has only been able to maintain contact with his family through letters sent by the Red Cross. There are no precise details about his whereabouts and the conditions of his detention.

Concerned about her son's safety, who is under direct threat in Azerbaijani captivity, Karine Mnatsakanyan applied to the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly on February 17, 2020. Attorneys Arayik Zalyan and Ani Chatinyan submitted a request to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for urgent interim measures as stipulated under Rule 39 of the Court's Rules of Procedure.