As young activist of opposition Tigran Arakelyan takes on extreme means (hunger-strike) to prove his innocence and submits a request to the law enforcement bodies for fair trial, the victim of his case policeman of Kentron police Erik Poghosyan "attacked" Katnaghbyur village of Talin region.

Of course, this "victim" is not working alone. He is backed by Kentron police department and criminal guys of Ashtarak, as well as the main department of investigation and Chief prosecutor office, but the court currently delays court sessions without solving the security issues of the victim even in the court building.

Last week the above mentioned bodies representing law enforcement system implemented kidnapping "operation" in the building of the first instance court and outside, and the main role was also played by Erik Poghosyan who was a victim of a number of cases of March 1.

On September 1 an investigation of a criminal case was started where 18 year old victim Sh.D. was going to give testimony about illegal actions of the police, as well as torture and inhuman treatment towards her by the police. During the pre-trial investigation policemen managed to use their special means and get a testimony from 17 year old girl, but later she refused her previous testimony and applied to RA Chief Prosecutor's office, Human rights' defender presenting the real circumstances of the case. In near future we will discuss this case in details.

We are aware of kidnapping of the victims by the Police from March 1 events.  So this practice has a tendency to become a tradition. If it was not possible to prevent such actions of the police in Yerevan, you can imagine what has happened in a small village of Talin region. Residents of the village were telling in a fear how the policemen together with Ruben Vardanyan, investigator of the main investigation department, implemented raids and followed her to her house trying to catch her. The same happened on September 1 in the court room. According to the testimony of the attorney about ten policemen entered the court room and the actions themselves; misbehavior of the police was shown outside of the room, but in the corridor of the court.

"The most active person was Erik Poghosyan. He took the girl's hand trying to take her out, but we managed to protect the girl. This noise and the crush finished only after interference of the President of the court", the attorney was telling according to whom the number of the policemen was increased and the pursuits continued till evening.

Nevertheless the policemen managed to take 21 year old victim's sister Stella Davtyan who was kept there for 40 minutes trying to get the required testimony from her. Ruben Vardanyan, who was conducting the investigation, came to the department but their threatening did not give results, and the girl was released.

Trial session of September 4 was again delayed by the judge Ruzanna Barseghyan because of the absence of the representatives from prosecutor's office. The judge did not take into consideration Ashot Abgaryan's third motion; that's provision of the security of his defendants. 

The same day after the trial that did not take place, the defendant's party together with his defendants had to come to the human rights' defender's office. During the meeting with Armen Harutyunyan they asked for a temporary dwelling to be protected from the pursuits of the policemen. At last Armen Harutyunyan's negotiations with the President of the first instance court of Aragatsotn region and other responsible parties gave their results and the last week-end was comparably quiet in Katnaghbyur village.

The next session was determined on September 10, 10 o'clock.

Zhanna Aleksanyan
Ashtarak-Yerevan