Part two. From Stalin’s repressions until exculpation (documents)
Summary
Ararat M. Hakobyan
Key words – H. Kajaznuni, Kh. Mughdusi, criminal case, arrest, execution, Troika, prison, NKVD, KGB, investigation, indictment, verdict, certificate, prosecutor, officer of the criminal investigation department, 1937, decision, exculpation.
As a continuation of the article devoted to O. Kajaznuni’s life and work in the 1920s, we present to the attention of the reader some archival documents relating to the last years of his life – arrest, heavy emotional distress, initiation of a criminal case, decision to execute and after his tragic death, the review of his case and exculpation.
In November, 1937 (the date is not visible) the criminal case of O. Kajaznuni with the indictment and with the approval of Kondakov was sent to the review of the Troika of the NKVD of the USSR. On December 5, 1937, the Troika pronounced a verdict on the execution of the defendant with the confiscation of personal property. However, due to health problems, Kajaznuni was in the prison hospital in Yerevan. According to the order, the death penalty could be carried out only upon the permission of the prison (judicial) doctor. However, O. Kajaznuni’s physical health was in such a critical condition that the prison doctor did not give permission for execution, or at least postponed the implementation of this act until the prisoner could stand up on his own. But due to further deterioration of health (senile weakness, tuberculosis and influenza), the former prime minister died in the prison hospital a few days later, on January 15, 1938, at the age of 70.
The publication of the documents regarding the unjustified and false criminal case of O. Kajaznuni is symbolic in that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the Stalinist repressions of «1937».