Relatives of Khodjoyan allow rights defenders to complain to ECtHR

In Armenia, relatives of the 77-year-old Mamikon Khodjoyan have allowed rights defenders to file a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against Azerbaijani authorities. It is planned that the complaint will be lodged by the Armenian NGO "Against Legal Lawlessness".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 28 Mamikon Khodjoyan, a citizen of Armenia, was detained in the Tovuz District of Azerbaijan; on March 4, he was transferred to Armenia, where doctors assess his health condition as stably grave.

His daughter Egine Vardazaryan has reported that Khodjoyan told her that he had been subjected to violence when in Azerbaijan.

"He said that he was beaten; some drugs were injected into his neck; and they forced him to lie down on the concrete floor, covered with salt," said Vardazaryan.

The Armenian NGO "Against Legal Lawlessness" has announced its intention to file a complaint to the ECtHR against the Azerbaijani authorities. According to its head Larisa Alaverdyan, the ex-Ombudsperson of Armenia, the first steps on this case have already been taken. "Now we are waiting for the victim to regain consciousness for taking further steps," she said.