Details added: first version posted on 12:58
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 3. Detained Vagif Khachatryan expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani state for everything, including the medical treatment, detention conditions, and the opportunity to communicate with his family, during the meeting with the Azerbaijani Ombudsperson Sabina Aliyeva, members of the Ombudsman's National Preventive Group for the Prevention of Torture, medical specialists and psychologists, the Azerbaijani Ombudsman's Office told Trend.
"Khachatryan also thanked for the humane treatment towards him since the initial detention, the quality of medical care, and noted positive changes in his health," the office said.
The visitors checked Khachatryan's detention conditions, medical services, nutrition, ensuring his rights, and the necessary medical and psychological support in accordance with national legislation and international documents, as well as availability of books in his room, the office added.
The investigation of a criminal case initiated by the Azerbaijani Military Prosecutor's Office on relevant articles of the Criminal Code on massacre and deportation of persons of Azerbaijani nationality and destruction and harm of public and private properties resulting in large-scale damage caused by members of illegal Armenian armed groups on December 22, 1991, in Meshali village of Khojaly district is ongoing.
The investigation established that a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Khachatryan, who was born in 1955 in Badara village of Khojaly (former Asgaran) district and worked as a driver in the Khankendi city transport company, together with other people of Armenian nationality, used various weapons, including firearms and infantry fighting vehicles, to kill all Azerbaijani residents of Meshali village (Khojaly district).
The assailants attacked the village, killed 25 and injured 14 people of Azerbaijani nationality, and, contrary to national and international law norms, expelled 358 Azerbaijanis from their domicile.
In addition, Khachatryan continued his criminal actions together with his accomplices, destroying and damaging property belonging to the state and villagers, causing a total of over 5.96 million manat ($3.5 million) of material damage.
Due to the fact that sufficient reasonable suspicions arose regarding the criminal case, it was decided to involve Khachatryan as an accused person under articles 103 (massacre) and 107 (deportation or forced movement of the population) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. However, due to the fact that his whereabouts were unknown to the investigation, on November 12, 2013, an international arrest warrant was issued by an Azerbaijani court.
As a result of the conducted search measures, on July 29, 2023, Vagif Khachatryan was detained by the military personnel of the State Border Service at the Lachin border crossing point of the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border. He was trying to go to the Republic of Armenia for treatment through the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross.