Cause of Edgar Tsatinyan's Death Revealed: Forensic Examination Results

The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia has provided clarification in response to the statement from the Vanadzor office of the Human Rights Defender, which stated that a criminal case was opened based on the failure to provide adequate medical assistance to Edgar Tsatinyan, who died at Armenia Medical Center on April 8, 2019. Tsatinyan had reportedly been transferred to the hospital after being tortured in the investigative department of the Avan and Nor Nork administrative regions.

Regarding the above, the Investigative Committee reported that Tsatinyan was not present in the investigative department of Avan and Nor Nork on the day he was admitted to the hospital and the days preceding it, thus he could not have been subjected to torture in the mentioned investigative department. They urged the public to refrain from disseminating evidently false information.

“Concerning the criminal case opened to clarify the circumstances of Tsatinyan's death, we note that necessary measures have been taken in the investigative department of Avan and Nor Nork to conduct an objective, complete, and comprehensive inquiry into the circumstances of Tsatinyan's death.

For the purpose of determining the circumstances of the death, a forensic examination of the corpse was appointed, and the conclusion has recently been received.

According to the forensic examination conclusion, Tsatinyan's death occurred on April 8, 2019, due to acute cardiovascular failure caused by acute-external poisoning with methamphetamine, accompanied by hyperthermia, seizures, arterial hypertension, tachycardia, toxic coma, hepatosplenomegaly, and dystrophic-necrotic changes in internal organs, as evidenced by toxicological studies showing the presence of methamphetamine in the blood, urine, and also in the internal organs.

It has been noted that foreign bodies, polyethylene bags, were found in the stomach, and a larger quantity of methamphetamine was detected in the stomach during the toxicological examination of the internal organs. This suggests that the drug entered the organism through the oral cavity by swallowing,” stated the clarification from the Investigative Committee.

Earlier, it was reported that a criminal case was opened regarding the apparent torture of an individual by the police and causing death through negligence.