YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS:  European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has processed the claim lodged by Karen Petrosyan’s family, demanding explanation from the Azerbaijani government. In response to the claim, on September 12, the ECHR has asked the Azerbaijani government to present explanations related to the official position of Azerbaijan on handover of Petrosyan’s body and its delay till September 26, the Foundation against the Violation of Law (FAVL) informed Armenpress.

On 10 September 2014, a working group representing the family of Karen Petrosyan, an Armenian civilian killed under Azerbaijani custody, has applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with a request under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court to intervene in this case with interim measure of indicating the respondent state, Azerbaijan, immediately to return the remains of Karen Petrosyan to his family, taking all relevant and necessary steps to return the body in a dignified state. “International law requires that the remains be returned without any preconditions,” said Larisa Alaverdyan, FAVL Executive Director and one of the members of the working group.

The working group is composed of experts in the field of international human rights law to represent the interests of Petrosyan’s family in both domestic proceedings in Armenia and in the ECHR. Human rights lawyers Kristina Gevorgyan, Ara Ghazaryan and Vahe Grigoryan together with human rights defenders Larisa Alaverdyan and Artak Zeynalyan are representing Petrosyan’s family at ECHR.

Karen Petrosyan, who lived in a borderland village in northeastern Armenia, was taken captive on August 7 after mistakenly appearing in the territory of Azerbaijan. Shocking images of him being dragged by masked soldiers were distributed to the media by authorities in Azerbaijan, in which Karen Petrosyan was being brutally forced to beg pardon from the president of Azerbaijan. The next day, the Defense Ministry announced that he had “suddenly” died of “heart failure.” The circumstances surrounding the death of Karen Petrosyan raise serious doubts as to the cause of the death announced by Azerbaijani authorities.

Despite calls from the United States, France, Russia, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Azerbaijan has not yet handed over Karen Petrsoyan’s body to the relatives.