International organizations respond to petition on Armenian captive’s death
On 15 September 2014, Avetik Ishkhanyan, Larisa Alaverdyan and Arthur Sakunts, representatives of human rights NGOs, submitted a letter to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (Council of Europe), the UN Committee Against Torture and the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture in connection with the torture, inhumane treatment and subsequent death of Armenian citizen Karen Petrosyan in Azerbaijani captivity.
According to the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, in response to the petition, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment said that the petition was discussed at the Committee Secretariat and a decision was made to submit it for discussion by all members of the committee at a plenary session on November 3-7.
The UN Committee Against Torture also responded to the petition. It said that the petition was accepted and the issue raised in it will be taken into consideration during the monitoring of Azerbaijan. The organization proposed the authors of the petition to also apply to the UN agencies with special procedures.
The representatives of human rights NGOs had asked the above-mentioned international organizations to take all possible measures within their capacity to ensure a proper investigation into the torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and death of Karen Petrosyan.
The authors of the letter had called on the international organizations to be consistent in conducting an impartial and full examination of the case.