Vagif Khachatryan, an Artsakh Armenian civilian unlawfully detained by Azerbaijan for nearly two and a half years despite his civilian status and urgent medical needs, has undergone open-heart surgery at Nork-Marash Medical Center in Yerevan, the hospital told Sputnik Armenia. The operation was completed successfully without complications. He has been transferred to the intensive care unit, where his condition is assessed as stable and directly reflective of the severe and lasting medical damage sustained during his captivity.
Khachatryan was abducted by Azerbaijani authorities on July 29, 2023, at the illegal Azerbaijani checkpoint on the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor near the Hakari Bridge. At the time, he was being transported by the International Committee of the Red Cross from Artsakh to Armenia for urgent medical treatment amid Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh. Despite his protected civilian status and critical health condition, he was taken into custody and held in detention until January 14, 2026.
During his prolonged detention, Khachatryan’s health deteriorated sharply. According to Azerbaijani media reports, on December 22 he developed acute shortness of breath and severe chest pain, after which he was transferred to a medical facility operated by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Justice and later to a state hospital. His subsequent need for open-heart surgery underscores the grave consequences of prolonged unlawful detention and the denial of timely and adequate medical care.
