“He Is Crawling in His Cell”: Alarming Health Collapse of Lebanese-Armenian Prisoner Held in Azerbaijan

The health of Lebanese-Armenian detainee Vicken Euljekjian has sharply deteriorated during his imprisonment in Baku, according to new information shared by his family and lawyer. Euljekjian, who has been held in Azerbaijan for four years, was able to make a short phone call to his family on November 16 after 45 days without any communication. His wife, Linda Euljekjian, says that his physical condition is now extremely serious and continues to decline without proper medical care.

In an interview with The Armenian Report, Linda Euljekjian said that her husband is no longer able to walk because of severe pain. She explained that he had a slipped disc before his detention, but the mistreatment he faced after being taken captive made the injury far worse. In the phone call, he described alarming conditions.

“He said he couldn't walk; he crawled on his knees because of the pain. He had a slipped disc before his detention, and I think the torture he endured initially brought his health to this point. He said they take him to a doctor who gives him medicine, but they never bring it. He asks the guards for help, but they do not respond. They only give him food and bread. His voice was very weak; he could barely speak. I know everyone there is treated the same, but I think all families of prisoners are afraid to speak up because their loved ones are in prison. I understand how they feel. He only had tea and bread because that was the only thing they gave him to eat.”

The family is especially worried because of recent public comments made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, where he mentioned “tea in Baku.” They believe this was intended as a mockery of Armenian detainees who are suffering under harsh conditions.

The conditions described by Euljekjian’s family raise serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law and the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (known as the Mandela Rules). The denial of medical care, proper food, and a wheelchair may pose an immediate threat to his health and survival.

His family and legal team are urgently calling for international intervention. They demand an independent medical evaluation, humanitarian access, and the involvement of UN special mechanisms, human rights organizations, and neutral observers to ensure his safety.

Euljekjian’s case began four years ago when Azerbaijani authorities charged him with “mercenary activity,” “terrorism,” and “illegal crossing of Azerbaijan’s state border.” He and Maral Najaryan were captured by Azerbaijani servicemen on November 10, 2020. Najaryan was later released, but Euljekjian has remained imprisoned.

Before his detention, Euljekjian had left Lebanon because of the country’s severe socio-economic crisis. He moved to Yerevan and later to Shushi in 2019. He has been a citizen of Armenia since 2015.

As his condition rapidly worsens, his family fears that without immediate action, he may not survive.

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