We Demand the Immediate Surgery for Gagik Khachatryan: Legal Team

The legal team of Gagik Khachatryan has issued a statement today demanding that competent authorities provide an immediate opportunity for him to receive necessary and urgent medical assistance in accordance with legal procedures, specifically to undergo a double surgery. The legal team has repeatedly informed that he is in need of surgical intervention, the implementation of which is not being facilitated by the law enforcement agencies of Armenia, resulting in a daily deterioration of Gagik Khachatryan's health.

“On July 4 and August 5, 2019, two medical councils were convened by the Minister of Health of Armenia with the involvement of leading specialists, and as a result of their conclusions, it was established that Gagik Khachatryan requires double surgery aimed at correcting stenosis, which cannot be performed in Armenia, as the initial surgery was conducted back in 2018 in Germany, where an implant was installed. The necessity of double surgery has also been confirmed by leading physician-professors from the Orthocenter Medical Center in Hamburg, Germany, and the American Hospital in Paris,” stated Yerem Sargsyan. He also added that all medical professionals agree and have confirmed that the surgery should be performed as soon as possible, as any delay could cause sudden and irreversible harm to Gagik Khachatryan's health.

The legal team warns that despite these warnings, Gagik Khachatryan has not been provided with an opportunity for surgery; instead, after spending nearly six months in a correctional facility, he has only received painkillers. Due to all these factors, Gagik Khachatryan's health condition has worsened, and he is currently located at the “Astghik” medical center, where he is receiving conservative and rehabilitative treatment, which, according to doctors, does not constitute the primary treatment for his condition.

“On January 22 and February 28, 2020, it was recorded in medical consultations that Gagik Khachatryan requires double surgery, meaning that surgical decompression of the cervical section of the spinal cord needs to be performed. In such a situation, the State is simply obliged to be concerned about the health of its citizen and to ensure, by any means possible, his right to receive medical assistance,” the defender said.

It should be noted that the failure to provide immediate medical assistance leads at least to a manifestation of