An ECHR decision, which ordered Azerbaijan to pay €30,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage to Armenian citizen Artur Badalyan back in July, has entered into force, head of the Bright Armenia party Edmon Marukyan said on Saturday, December 11.

On May 9, 2009, Badalyan disappeared and was captured by the Azerbaijani forces. His relatives contacted the Armenian authorities, after which he was registered as a missing person in Armenia and a search for him was undertaken. However, his whereabouts remained unknown to his family and the Armenian authorities until November 5, 2010 when he was registered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as an Armenian captive held in Azerbaijan. Thereafter the applicant was regularly visited by the ICRC in detention until 17 March 2011 when he was released to the Armenian authorities through the mediation of the ICRC as part of an exchange of captives.

Marukyan revealed that Azerbaijan has not appealed against the decision with the ECHR Grand Chamber, which means the decision has now come into force.

Badalyan's application concerned ill-treatment during detention in violation of Article 3 of the Convention and unlawful detention in violation of Article 5.