European court rejects ex Armenian Finance Minister's plea for medical trip

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has rejected a request by the legal team of former Armenian Finance Minister Gagik Khachatryan.

According to Armenian media, Khachatryan had asked the court to order the Armenian government to lift his pre-trial detention, remove restrictions on his freedom and lift a travel ban preventing him from leaving the country.

He also asked to be allowed to travel to Germany for medical treatment, and called for an end to his transportation on a stretcher and for effective access to medical care.

The Office of the Representative of the Republic of Armenia on International Legal Matters told Armenpress that the ECHR had communicated the request to the Armenian government and asked both sides to present their positions.

After receiving responses from the Armenian government and Khachatryan, the court decided to reject his request in full.

On September 10, Khachatryan, 71, was brought to court on a medical stretcher as a hearing on changing his measure of restraint got underway.

Khachatryan has been held at the Yerevan-Kentron penitentiary since September 2. His defence team says he has not been examined by a doctor while in detention.

Following intervention by Armenia’s Human Rights Defender, Khachatryan was provided with a caregiver to assist him with basic needs, including eating, although the caregiver’s visits are restricted.

Khachatryan was detained on September 1 following searches linked to a criminal investigation into alleged bribery and money laundering on an especially large scale.

By Aghakazim Guliyev