Son Claims Different Body Brought Instead of Father's After Fatal Accident in Georgia

A resident of Yerevan, Arsen Pahlevanyan, has reported that his father died as a result of a car accident in Georgia, and although his body was transported to Armenia, it turned out that the transported remains did not belong to his father. This was reported by Shamshyan.com.

He further stated that an illegal demand of $450 was made from him for recognizing the body and for its release.

In a phone conversation with SHAMSHYAN.com, A. Pahlevanyan said, "On July 24, my father was in an accident. We could not go initially because we did not get permission from the emergency management, and they assured us in the hospital that everything was going well. Later, they called and informed us that he had died. The Armenian ambassador in Georgia contacted me and said that they were doing everything to send the body to Armenia, and the ambassador provided me with contact details for a funeral home in Armenia to negotiate costs for the body’s return. I told them I had nothing to negotiate, as per the law they should bring it to the border, and I should go accept it. They said to go ahead.

We arrived at the border, secured permission from the Georgians. The funeral home in Georgia, which had a direct connection with our ambassador, brought it to the border. It turned out they had ties with one of the local funeral homes too, and they said they needed to bring it. The ambassador had left it to us to arrange transport, and after some discussion, we took the body. The driver from the local funeral home constantly threatened us with the police, saying he would have us arrested or something similar. They were calling the ambassador and discussing some things...

We brought it to Yerevan's 6th hospital, the funeral home, since such cases are brought there. Here it was supposed to be opened for us to recognize the body. I looked from a distance and said, 'This is not my father; it's not his face; this is not my parent.' I said since he didn’t die of COVID, and it wasn’t written down, you need to allow me to see closely. They wouldn’t allow me, saying: 'This is it, whether you want it or not, we won’t let you.' This morning, we went again with my mother, asking to enter and see, but they wouldn’t let us in. The funeral home director said whatever we wanted to do, we could do it outside.

Now they are telling me that until I pay $450, they will not give me the body. I told them I would give them the money, but they must write down on paper that I gave them this amount, but they refused, saying they would only issue a receipt. They are instigating me into a conflict so that later they can place charges against me. It’s not just that they brought another body; they are not letting us recognize it, and on top of that, they are asking for $450," said A. Pahlevanyan.

In a phone conversation with SHAMSHYAN.com, an employee from the funeral home located at 1 Bagratuni stated that this whole case is a lie. "The Georgians organized everything and sent it, as the relative does not have the right to cross the border. The ambassador called me and asked for assistance in organizing it. I gave the ambassador my Georgian colleague's number, and they were negotiating. The ambassador clearly stated that financial issues should be dealt with directly with the boy. The Georgian said that organizing everything would cost $750, and that he would collect the money from our director. The boy also expressed his gratitude for the arrangement. When they bring it through the Sadakhlo checkpoint, our car comes to pick it up; the boy wants the Georgian’s vehicle to take the body, deceiving my driver and transporting the body in the Ford he brought… According to the decree, bodies brought from abroad are sent to two places, one of which is here. At night he looked at the body from the other side of the glass, recognized it, said that it was his father, and said that he would come the next day, which is today, with a lawyer. We asked about the money issue, he said the ambassador would pay. I called the ambassador, and he was confused why he should pay. Today, he arrives with his mother again to recognize it, saying maybe his mother could also recognize it, but he must pay the money so that I can send it to the Georgian. It appears that this boy is just trying to cheat everyone and not pay the Georgian's fee," said the employee, noting that the boy definitely recognized the body, both from behind the glass and on a large screen, and claimed it was unequivocally his father.

According to the employee, customs officials were also present during the recognition and were told it was indeed his father. The employee stated that the deceased's son needs to pay not $450 but $750 to the Georgian service.

As previously reported by SHAMSHYAN.com, Arsen Pahlevanyan approached our editorial office, stating that his father, Ohan Pahlevanyan, had been in a car accident in Georgia and was in critical condition in the hospital. Care was required for his father, but they were not allowed to travel to Georgia. "The accident occurred on July 25, and the doctors in the Georgian hospital informed us that care was necessary, but for some reason, we were not allowed to cross the Armenia-Georgia border. We have all the documentation related to the accident, including medical records, but presenting them yields no benefit." A. Pahlevanyan also reported that they reached out to the embassy, which advised them to contact the emergency management service. "I have contacted the emergency management service, but have not received any response to this day."