YEREVAN. – Armenian driver Hrachya Harutyunyan, who is serving a prison sentence in Russia, has health issues, his daughter Lilit Told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“My father has spinal hernia, and we have concerns that he will not get adequate medical assistance in Russia,” she said. “For that reason, we would very much want for the process of his extradition [to Armenia] be accelerated, so that he may be transferred to Armenia and get the treatment here.” 

Separately, the news service of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia informed that the ministry has received no petition from Harutyunyan’s relatives so far, and with respect to his state of health. Nonetheless, the ministry has already taken appropriate measures within the scope of its powers, and sent queries to the competent authorities to clarify the matter. The ministry will inform further about the results.

Armenian citizen Hrachya Harutyunyan had pleaded guilty to causing a major traffic accident in Russia. The truck he was driving had crashed into a passenger bus on July 13, 2013 outside capital city Moscow. The impact of the crash was so powerful that the bus, which was carrying 64 passengers, had split in two. The accident had claimed 18 lives and injured more than 40 others.

On August 4, 2014, a Moscow district court had sentenced Harutyunyan to 6 years and 9 months in prison on charges of violating traffic and vehicle operation rules and causing death. And the Moscow Municipal Court had upheld this verdict.