State Commission: If Armenia does not accept body of Khankandi resident, she will be buried in Azerbaijan

On October 20, 2024, at around 9-10 AM Vera Varasakovna Agasyan, a 70-year-old ethnic Armenian passed away at her residence in Khankandi city of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Report informs, citing the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons (State Commission) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, that on October 23, 2024, the Media and Communications Department of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan issued a press release stating that a forensic medical examination had been ordered by the relevant authorities regarding the death. According to the results of the forensic examination, the immediate cause of death for the 70-year-old woman was acute pulmonary-cardiac insufficiency developed due to a pulmonary artery thrombosis. It was also noted that V. Agasyan had been examined by the Ministry of Health specialists and provided with necessary social support. On the same day, the State Commission informed the Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about Agasyan's death. The State Commission requested that the relevant state authorities of Armenia and V.Agasyan's family members be informed about this case.

A formal request has been submitted by the State Commission to the ICRC for the transfer of the corpse of the deceased to the opposing side, considering the wishes of the V.Agasyan's children to be buried in Armenia. Azerbaijan has undertaken the necessary preparations to facilitate this humanitarian process, including obtaining a medical death certificate, which have been notarized, translated into English, and apostilled. It was planned to transfer the corpse of the deceased through the ICRC mediation at the “Lachin” border checkpoint to the relevant state authorities of Armenia on October 29 or 30. The opposing side was informed about the measures taken through the ICRC. Unfortunately, nearly two months having passed since the request, no response has been received from the Armenian side. Although the matter has been discussed several times with the ICRC's Representative Office in the Republic of Azerbaijan over the past period, the organization has reported that the Armenian side has not responded to them regarding this case.

Analyses indicate that the request submitted to the ICRC by the children of V.Agasyan, who previously had no contact with their mother and showed no interest in her, to have her remains transferred to Armenia for burial, and their subsequent lack of interest in the process, was part of a premeditated disinformation campaign. The Armenian side had anticipated that the Azerbaijani side would refuse the children's request to transfer the body, and this fact could have been used for political purposes against Azerbaijan in the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP-29). However, upon seeing that Azerbaijan was ready to carry out the Humanitarian process, the Armenians lost interest in the process since they could not achieve their desired outcome.

The politicization of an issue related to a deceased individual, regardless of their religion or nationality, and attempts to turn this event into a tool of malicious propaganda against Azerbaijan are in violation of International Humanitarian Law and Human Values. Underscoring the Republic of Azerbaijan’s consistent adherence to International Humanitarian Law and its commitment to the obligations undertaken under international instruments, the State Commission reiterates its readiness to hand over the remains of V.Agasyan to the other side.

Due to the inability to preserve human remains for extended periods, as dictated by religious practices and scientific consensus, and Armenia's inability to receive V.Agasyan's body by the end of January 2025, the body will be interred in Azerbaijan. The grave will be properly maintained.