YEREVAN. – In an interview with Aravot daily, Armenia’s first Human Rights Defender, public activist Larisa Alaverdyan reflected on the case involving Hrachya Harutyunyan, the daily reports.  

“Responding to the question as what we should have done [as Armenia], she said: ‘Now, I believe the task is to defend Hrachya Harutyunyan.’   

To our next query as to whether or not it will be possible to transfer him to Armenia, Alaverdyan replied:

‘I read today [Friday] that a transfer is possible only after the [court] verdict. In such cases, practice shows that the trial should be held at the place where the incident occurred. But in general, an extradition is the transfer during a judicial process, and I believe this should be done as soon as possible.

‘In addition, I am convinced that the role of our Armenian community [in Russia] is great. It would be good if the Union of Armenians of Russia and the community paid more attention to the affected,’” Aravot quotes.  

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, a truck crashed into a passenger bus on July 13 outside Moscow, and it was found out that the truck driver was an Armenian citizen by the name of Hrachya Harutyunyan. The impact of the crash was so powerful that the bus had split in two. The accident claimed 18 lives and about 50 others were hospitalized. The court had Harutyunyan arrested on Monday. To note, he was brought to the courtroom with slippers and a women’s robe. This fact caused widespread discontent among the Armenian public, and protests were staged across the Russian Embassy in Armenia.