“Manvel’s face was disfigured”
The body of Armenian citizen Manvel Saribekyan, who died in Azerbaijani captivity in early October, was handed to Armenia on November 4. Manvel's parents received the body in the central morgue in Yerevan. Manvel was buried on November 6.
The relatives state that the body bore marks of violence.
"Even the naked eye could see that the boy had been tortured to death. There were cuts on both ears and bruises on the nose and jaw. The face was fully disfigured," says Manvel's Aunt Emma Balian.
According to Mrs. Balian, the headman of Chambarak village gave money to organize the funeral.
Emma Balian also thanked the Ministry of Defense, which was able to return the body to Armenia.
Manvel Saribekyan, an Armenian shepherd, crossed the Azerbaijani border in search of his cattle. He was taken captive on September 11 and announced a subversive. After a few months of captivity in Azerbaijan, Saribekyan was found hung in an Azeri prison.
The RA Prosecutor General has instructed to initiate a criminal case according to the RA Criminal Code Article 104, part 2 (murder committed with particular cruelty). The preliminary investigation of the criminal case has been tasked to the General Investigation Department of the RA Police.
