Khankendi: Azerbaijan is currently holding the body of an Armenian woman, Vera Varashakovna Agasyan, in a secure location, after her death in Khankendi on October 20 last year. Adalat Hasanov, the Director-General of the Forensic Medical Expertise and Pathological Anatomy Unit of the Ministry of Health, confirmed this in an interview, stating that if Armenia does not receive the body, its fate will be determined by the relevant state authorities.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Hasanov emphasized the measures taken to preserve the body. He explained that the body is stored under appropriate conditions, with special refrigerators available in all city and district branches of the republic to slow down the decomposition process. Additional methods, such as using formalin, may sometimes be necessary to preserve the body longer.

Efforts have been made to transfer the body to Armenia. The International Red Cross facilitated communication between the Armenian side and Agasyan’s children, informing them about her death and ensuring all necessary documentation for the body’s transfer was completed. Despite these efforts and a direct meeting with the Armenian delegation at the border in February, the Armenian side has not responded to the handover request for nearly five months.