Azerbaijan Fails to Implement ECHR Ruling on Manvel Saribekyan Case

Azerbaijan is evading responsibility and has not implemented the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling regarding Manvel Saribekyan's case. A year ago, the Court issued a ruling recognizing Saribekyan's violated rights and obliging Baku to provide compensation.

Artak Zeynalayan, representative of prisoners' interests at the ECHR, stated that provision of just compensation is a minor aspect of the ruling's implementation and not substantive. He pointed out that just compensation has not yet been paid.

In 2010, Azerbaijan abducted Manvel Saribekyan, a resident of Gegharkunik Province, presenting him as a saboteur and subsequently killing him. The ECHR ruling took effect eight months after its announcement on September 7. Prior to that, the Grand Chamber had rejected the appeals from Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The ECHR confirmed that specific agents killed the 20-year-old resident of the village of Ttujur. Artak Zeynalayan and Ara Ghazaryan succeeded in proving the fact of the murder.

Zeynalayan emphasized that Azerbaijan must initiate proceedings and identify those responsible as pointed out by the European Court, subjecting them to justice and accountability. They should face penalties equivalent to those imposed on individuals who have killed and tortured Azerbaijanis in their own country.

The Saribekyan family’s successors must also be involved in the case, have representatives, and the opportunity to submit motions. It has been four months, yet Azerbaijan has not fulfilled the ECHR decision. Baku was obligated to provide compensation within a three-month period, which it also failed to do. In case of delay, interest payments must be made.

Zeynalayan stressed that this should be monitored by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and the progress of the ruling's implementation should be supervised by the Committee of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

Human rights defenders are preparing to appeal to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Zeynalayan also considers it important to involve the legislative and executive bodies of Armenia and other Council of Europe states in the process, as they are responsible for the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights in their own countries.

Zeynalayan concluded that before the Committee of Ministers, Azerbaijan is accountable and must be answerable for the implementation of ECHR rulings.

In December, the rights of Karen Ghazaryan, Narek Sardaryan, and others returned from captivity must also be recognized and restored.

Currently, representatives of prisoners' interests at the ECHR are defending the rights of 90 individuals who found themselves under Azerbaijani control as a result of the 44-day war.