Gagik Khachatryan`s lawyers have filed a petition with the ECHR requesting urgent measures.

ArmInfo. The lawyers of former Finance Minister and former head of the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia Gagik Khachatryan have filed a petition for urgent measures with the European Court of Human Rights. This was reported by Khachatryan's legal team.

The petition asks the European Court to compel the Armenian government to immediately release Gagik Khachatryan, cease the practice of constantly moving him from place to place on a stretcher, and lift the travel ban as a preventive measure so that he can travel abroad for necessary medical treatment. He has been in custody since September 2 and, despite being unable to move independently, is being held at the Yerevan Center penitentiary institution. Meanwhile, the request to allow a doctor to visit Khachatryan for an examination remains unanswered.

The case has been pending before the ECHR since 2019 under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which stipulates the absolute prohibition of torture, inhumane, or degrading treatment. In 2020, the ECHR applied an urgent measure, obliging the Armenian government to provide Khachatryan with medical care in detention, and if this is not possible, to ensure his transfer to a civilian hospital. In 2024, a complaint regarding a violation of the right to life, guaranteed by Article 2 of the Convention, was also filed with the ECHR, prompting the ECHR to briefly begin its consideration of the case. The ECHR is currently examining both complaints jointly.

Gagik Khachatryan, former Minister of Finance and former Chairman of the State Revenue Committee, has been charged in several criminal cases since 2019, including one involving the receipt of a particularly large bribe. He denies the charges, and a final court decision on these cases has not yet been issued. During the seven-year criminal trial, his health steadily deteriorated, and treatment was primarily limited to symptomatic measures. In 2015, Khachatryan was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, and the implant installed in his cervical spine, according to the defense, shifted, causing severe pain with any movement. He also suffers from diabetes, shoulder problems, and heart problems. According to the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, he has been diagnosed with a severe functional limitation rate of 66 percent and is recognized as disabled. He can no longer move independently. The need for surgical intervention was documented over the years by medical examinations and the reports of more than a dozen local and international consultations. Khachatryan was permitted to travel abroad for treatment several times. Each time, he returned on time, did not interfere with the trial, and not a single court hearing was postponed due to health reasons. However, his travel for the necessary surgery was continually blocked. In April 2025, the court again permitted him to travel to Germany, but immediately after the decision, a travel ban imposed in another criminal case prevented his departure. As a result, the man, who had not received the necessary surgery for seven years and lost the ability to move independently, is once again in custody. Following the intervention of the Human Rights Defender, he was provided with a caregiver, but the problem remains unresolved. At the request of the Human Rights Defender, a group of staff visited the correctional facility and held a private conversation with Gagik Khachatryan about his medical care. Issues of care and detention conditions were addressed. The issues raised within the Human Rights Defender's purview have already been referred to the competent authorities, and some are currently being addressed. We are grateful to the Human Rights Defender and the human rights community for their prompt response. This response was of practical importance. Following the Human Rights Defender's mediation, Gagik Khachatryan was provided with a guardian. However, threats to his life and health remain. A timely and consistent response can prevent irreversible consequences and, in such situations, save lives by preventing the creation of a dangerous and shameful precedent," notes the former minister's legal team.

It is worth noting that Gagik Khachatryan's legal team has published a video recording of his transfer and participation in the court hearing for the first time. The defense noted that they had previously refrained from publicizing information about Khachatryan's health, respecting his privacy and that of his family, but resorted to this step after exhausting all available domestic legal remedies.

The published video footage caused a widespread outcry. Lilit Galstyan, Chair of the National Assembly Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs, assessed the incident as torture, inhumane, and degrading treatment, emphasizing that it cannot be justified for any criminal prosecution. The NGO "Agenda for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" recorded that the transfer was carried out in inappropriate conditions and was accompanied by obvious physical suffering. The organization demanded that the accused be provided with medical supervision and professional support.