YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS. The State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons of the Republic of Armenia has issued a statement on the death of the resident of Chinari village of Tavush region Karen Petrosyan in Azerbaijan. "Armenpress" presents the statement in full:

"On August 8, the Armenian delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross has officially confirmed the Azerbaijani authorities’ report on the death of the citizen of Armenia Karen Petrosyan, who since August 7 had been in captivity in Azerbaijan.

On August 7, the resident of Chinari village of Tavush region of the Republic of Armenia Karen Petrosyan, under still unknown circumstances, crossed the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and found himself in Azeri captivity. Despite the various interpretations of the Azerbaijani authorities, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia has officially announced that Karen Petrosyan is not a serviceman of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.

According to Karen Petrosyan’s relatives, and according to his medical records, he has had no health problems, especially cardiovascular diseases, and has been actually healthy.

The Azerbaijani side, not being satisfied with obviously inhumane attitude applied towards the captured Armenian citizen, subjected Karen Petrosyan to humiliation, tortures and sufferings,  and finally brought him to death. The evidence of all these are the video and photos, spread by the Azerbaijani media.

Taking into account the above-mentioned, K. Petosyan’s sudden death under unknown circumstances gives rise to a reasonable suspicion of cruel and inhumane attitude towards him, which is a gross violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms fixed in the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights". Therefore the State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons of the Republic of Armenia officially demands a forensic examination of the body by independent international experts, to determine the causes of death."