Luciana Minasian, an attorney and head of the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR), raised the alarm yesterday that Armenian prisoner of war Lyudvig Mkrtchyan, who was captured five and a half years ago and imprisoned in Baku, is facing serious health problems and fighting for his life.
“The leukocyte count of 56-year-old Mkrtchyan is 14.27, almost twice the normal level, accompanied by widespread inflammation. He also has a serious heart condition: left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and aortic insufficiency,” Minasian wrote on the social media platform X.
In an interview with 168.am, Luciana Minasian provided details about Lyudvig Mkrtchyan’s health and the steps that need to be taken.
— Ms. Minasian, you have raised the alarm about the health of the Armenian prisoner of war being held in Baku. What information do you currently have about his condition?
— We have very serious concerns about the health of Armenian prisoner of war Lyudvig Mkrtchyan. Official Azerbaijani medical records from late 2025 and January 2026 reveal alarming findings: a critically elevated leukocyte count of 14.27 × 10³/μL, with 88 percent neutrophilia, indicating a serious infection or inflammation, as well as significant cardiac pathology, including concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, an aortic insufficiency murmur, and an abnormal ECG that was never properly interpreted.
Despite these clear clinical findings in their own records, the official summary submitted to international bodies states that he “has no complaints” and is “stable.” This contradiction is deeply troubling and suggests a deliberate attempt to downplay the seriousness of his health condition.
— What steps must be taken under these circumstances?
— Immediate and concrete action is required. Independent cardiologists and hematologists who are not affiliated with Azerbaijan’s penitentiary system must be granted immediate access to examine Mr. Mkrtchyan.
He must undergo all recommended diagnostic tests and receive appropriate treatment, including hospitalization if necessary. Regular and unrestricted monitoring visits must be conducted by the International Committee of the Red Cross or other neutral observers. All medical records and documentation must immediately be provided to his family and legal representatives.
Time is of the essence. Without rapid intervention, Lyudvig Mkrtchyan’s condition could become life-threatening.
— Has there been any response from an institution following your appeal?
— In early June, we submitted a detailed and urgent appeal to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health and also informed the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
We received confirmation from the UN Human Rights Office that it is following the case. However, we have yet to see concrete action on the ground, such as an independent medical visit or pressure leading to improved access to medical care. We continue to press for more decisive intervention. This matter is urgent.
— Do you consider it possible for international human rights advocates and doctors to visit the Armenian prisoner of war?
— At present, this is extremely difficult because Azerbaijan expelled the International Committee of the Red Cross in September 2025, thereby eliminating the only independent monitoring mechanism. Nevertheless, such access must be made possible.
International human rights mechanisms, the United Nations, and influential third countries must demand immediate access for independent doctors and monitors. Without such access, we cannot rule out the worst-case scenarios. This is not only a humanitarian necessity but also a legal obligation under the Geneva Conventions.
— Ms. Minasian, what information do you have about the other prisoners of war being held in Baku?
— Unfortunately, the condition of the remaining Armenian prisoners of war and civilian detainees is equally unclear and alarming. Since the expulsion of the International Committee of the Red Cross, there has been no independent verification of their condition.
My colleagues have submitted petitions to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on behalf of seven additional detainees, as we successfully did in the case of Vigen Euljekjian. I will do the same for Lyudvig Mkrtchyan unless President Aliyev urgently provides him with access to appropriate independent medical personnel or gives serious consideration to granting him a pardon.
At the same time, I am personally working on the case of released detainee Vigen Euljekjian, who has been granted Category III disability status. He is unable to work, and we are actively negotiating with the Armenian authorities to secure more comprehensive support for him and his family.
We are grateful for the steps already taken, but substantially greater assistance is still needed to ensure his full rehabilitation and a dignified life following years of unlawful detention.
It should be noted that the Baku Military Court sentenced Lyudvig Mkrtchyan to 20 years’ imprisonment on charges of allegedly “torturing Azerbaijanis and committing other crimes against the Azerbaijani army” during the First Artsakh War.
It should also be recalled that members of Artsakh’s military and political leadership are currently being unlawfully held in Baku prisons. Some have been sentenced by a Baku court to life imprisonment, while others have received prison terms of 19 to 20 years.
With the exception of former Artsakh presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, all of them were sentenced to life imprisonment. Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison in view of their age.
It should further be recalled that, following the war Azerbaijan launched against Artsakh on September 19, 2023, Azerbaijani forces began capturing former senior members of Artsakh’s military and political leadership on September 27, under the threat of killing civilians.