Hrachya Harutyunyan’s extradition possible only after entry into force of RF Court verdict: Ministry of Justice

YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: The transfer of the driver of the truck, the citizen of the Republic of Armenia Hrachya Harutyunyan, causing a large scale car accident in New Moscow, to the Republic of Armenia will be possible to implement only after the entry into force of the decision of the Russian Federation Court. As reported by Armenpress, this was stated by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia in the press release on Hrachya Harutyunyan’s transfer to Armenia.

“During the recent period different opinions have been spread about the “extradition” of the citizen of the Republic of Armenia Hrachya Harutyunyan after the car accident taken place nearby Moscow. Taking into account the improper usage of the foreign word “extradition” in this situation, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia finds expedient to clarify the meaning of the word “extradition”, which is used for the people, who committed crime.

The “extradition” of Hrachya Harutyunyan is impossible according to the international agreements due to their being inapplicable to the Armenian citizen. The transfer of Hrachya Harutyunyan to the Republic of Armenia will be implemented in accordance with the defined procedure stated by the international conventions on the transfer of the convicted person with the aim to continue the punishment in Armenia only after the accusatory verdict of the competent court of the Russian Federation, defining a prison sentence and the entry of the verdict into force”. (THE FULL ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)

On July 13 at 13:00 in New Moscow, nearby the Podolsk Village, Kamaz truck came out of the second line and crashed into a bus driving from Podolsk to Kurilovo, sharing it into two parts. In the result of the car accident 18 people died and more than 60 were wounded. The driver of the truck Hrachya Harutyunyan was accused of the violation of the traffic security rules, causing the death of two or more people. Two-month detention was imposed to the Armenian. He was taken to the court in a woman’s bathrobe. On that ocassion a protest action was held in front of the Russian Embassy to Armenia, during which the protesters demanded protection of human rights and a proper attitude towards the citizen of the Republic of Armenia. On July 16 the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia Karen Andreasyan sent an official letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Lukin requesting for the protection of the dignity and other rights of Hrachya Harutyunyan. The Office of the Human Rights Defender of the Russian Federation promised during the next week to respond the letter.