Baku Gives Yerevan a Deadline to Retrieve the Body of Deceased Armenian Woman in Stepanakert
On October 20, 2024, Vera Aghasyan, a 70-year-old Armenian remaining in Stepanakert. The reason of the death was health issues. Baku has given the Armenian side until the end of January 2025 to retrieve her body.
If the body is not claimed by then, Azerbaijani authorities will bury her in Azerbaijan. Following her death, her family requested the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate the body’s transfer. However, the process has not taken place.
The woman had 4 children, all residing in Armenia. One of her sons stated that their mother did not heed their pleas to leave and chose to stay in Stepanakert, now under Azerbaijani control, notably, another relative also stayed behind and did not relocate to Armenia.
Artsakh Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan has addressed the issue of transferring the woman’s body to Armenia. Stepanyan emphasized that the Armenian Interdepartmental Commission on Prisoners and Missing Persons should clarify the situation.
Stepanyan remarked, “There must be an agreement between the parties. Relevant commissions exist, and these commissions are at least in communication regarding information exchange. The decision must result from their collaborative efforts.”