YEREVAN. – Within the framework of a cooperation agreement between the Offices of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia and of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of Russia, the latter’s representatives paid a special visit to the Russian prison where Armenian citizen Hrachya Harutyunyan is serving his sentence, and they checked his confinement and health conditions.

It was found out that Harutyunyan is under medical supervision, the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. And the health workers deemed his health condition as satisfactory.

During this visit, however, Hrachya Harutyunyan complained of back pain. And based on this, an agreement was reached with the medical administration of the said detention center that the needed medical examinations of and the appropriate treatment for Harutyunyan be carried out in a civil medical facility, in January and February.

In addition, the Russian High Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatiana Moskalkova, informed with a response letter that the protection of Harutyunyan’s rights is taken under a special oversight.

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 in July 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.

In April 2015, a Moscow district court 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 upheld this verdict.

The Armenian side, however, is seeking to have Hrachya Harutyunyan extradited to Armenia.