The RA Court of Cassation
returned the appeal on case of torture of Stepan Hovakimyan because of lack of
grounds. Stepan Hovakimyan’s defence attorney informed he would apply to the
European Court.

“We have exhausted all
domestic remedies in Armenia. The Criminal Court of Appeal under the presidency
of the judge A. Hovhannisyan made a decision on rejecting the appeal finding
that the decision is correct as it is legal and substantial like it was found by
the Prosecutor’s office and the Court of General Jurisdiction. They didn’t even
want to investigate this case in the Court of Cassation as it is done in all
other cases” said Hovakimyan’s advocate Tigran Safaryan to www.hra.am.

To remind, Stepan Hovakimyan
claims that he was tortured in police with the aim o obtain confession that he
had conducted the robbery in Moscow cinema.

The advocate T. Safaryan
claims that refusing to make a preliminary investigation the Special
Investigative Service restricted itself only by taking explanations. Face to
face interrogations and other investigative activities were not carried out.