Political Prisoners. Persecution of dissenters. Violation of journalists'
rights



- Prosecutors Drop ‘Assault’ Case Against Injured Oppositionist

[01.09.2004]

An Armenian opposition activist who was rushed to hospital after being
apparently tortured by the police last April said on Wednesday that
law-enforcement authorities have abandoned their plans to put him on trial for
allegedly assaulting one of his interrogators.

Grisha Virabian said district prosecutors in Yerevan informed him that they have
dropped their criminal case against him which was expected to be filed with a
court in the nearby town of Artashat. Virabian, who is affiliated with the
opposition People’s Party of Armenia (HZhK), would face at least five years if
he was convicted of assaulting a “state official performing their duties.”

Virabian, who lives in a village near Artashat, was arrested by the police for
leading a group of local residents to an opposition rally in Yerevan. He
underwent urgent surgery in a local hospital on April 24 after several hours of
questioning. One of his testicles was removed as a result.

Virabian says officers led by the deputy chief of the Artashat police, Hovannes
Movsisian, kicked him in the crotch and sides. He says the interrogation turned
particularly brutal after he hit Movsisian with a mobile phone recharging device
in response to the latter’s physical and verbal abuse.

The police and prosecutors, however, claim that the 44-year-old father of two
himself went on a rampage and have also refused to investigate his torture
claims. It was not immediately clear why they decided not to press the charges
against the oppositionist.

Virabian was clearly not relieved by the decision, insisting that his tormentors
be brought to justice. “I myself will achieve justice,” he told RFE/RL. “In case
I fail to achieve my goal all responsibility for my further actions will fall on
the authorities,” he warned without elaborating.

Six other opposition activists arrested in similar circumstances last spring
have already been jailed for between 9 and 18 months for their participation in
the opposition campaign of protests against President Robert Kocharian.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1807 

- Two Armenian Opposition Activists Released

[07.09.2004]

Edgar Arakelian, who was sentenced in May to 18 months' imprisonment for hitting
a police officer with an empty plastic mineral-water bottle when police attacked
peaceful demonstrators in Yerevan during the night of 12-13 April, was released
from jail on 6 September for "good behavior," RFE/RL's Armenian Service
reported. Also released on 6 September was opposition activist Lavrenti
Kirakosian, who was sentenced first to 10 days' administrative arrest for
participating in the 12-13 April rally and then in June to 18 months'
imprisonment on charges of possession of marijuana that he claims police planted
in his home in Armavir during a search. Armenian human rights activists
protested both sentences and designated Arakelian and Kirakosian, together with
four other opposition activists who received similar sentences, political
prisoners.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1809

- Investigation of the Attack on the Photo Journalist Mkhitar
Khachatrian Completed

[07.09.2004]

On September 6 the investigation of the attack on the correspondent of the photo
news agency “Photolure” Mkhitar Khachatrian, made on August 24, 2004 in
Tsaghkadzor, was completed. As it has been reported, the purpose of the visit
paid by Mkhitar Khachatrian and the correspondent of “Aravot” daily Anna
Israelian to Tsaghkadzor was the preparation of a story on the forest cuttings
in the vicinity of the sports complex to build summerhouses for senior
officials. After the end of the shootings the photo journalist was attacked and
the memory chip of his photo camera was taken away by force (see details in YPC
Weekly Newsletter, August 26 - September 2, 2004). On the facts of public
disorder incitement and the obstruction of legitimate professional activities of
correspondents Mkhitar Khachatrian and Anna Israelian criminal proceedings were
instituted by the General Prosecutor's Office according to Part 1 of Article 164
(“Obstruction of legitimate professional activities of journalist”) and Part 1
of Article 258 (“Public Disorder”) of the RA Criminal Code. Charges were
introduced to a resident of Yerevan, previously twice convicted Gagik Stepanian,
whose preventive punishment was chosen to be arrest.

As the RA General Prosecutors' Office reported, on the same day, September 6,
the materials of the preliminary investigation were directed to the court of
primary jurisdiction of Kotayk region.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1810