This morning two advocates called the hotline of the Defender’s Office and
informed that three of their clients had been apprehended in Kapan Division of the
Police. They also informed that they had visited the Division, but the policemen prevented them
from entering the Division and visiting their
clients. Shortly after the call, the advocates once
again informed that two of the persons in custody were already in the investigative body.
Following the call from the advocates, a resident of
Kajaran contacted the Human Rights Defender’s hotline and informed that they were relatives of one of
the persons apprehended in Kapan Division of the Police. They informed that their relative had been
released and was already with them. According
to them, the apprehended person who was later released
had bodily injuries and that the Police had used physical violence against him during the
apprehension from home, as well as in the Police Division: they informed that insulting speech had been
also made against him. The call provided that the said person was currently undergoing medical
examination in a hospital. Photos that, according tocitizens, document the fact of violence were sent to
the Human Rights Defender’s Office.
Immediately after the call, both the central office as
well as the Syunik regional office of the Human Rights Defender undertook necessary measures. Works
with the Police and investigative bodies were carried out. We are in contact with the advocates and
the citizens that addressed the call. Our regional office in Kapan is already operating, and the
advocates, as well as citizens, can receive full support.
According to the preliminary information obtained by
the Human Rights Defender's Office, there is another person that was apprehended and arrested in
Yerevan in connection to this case. We will be in touch with the investigative body on this issue.
A criminal case with regard to the circumstance
described should be immediately initiated. At the same time, all the inspection activities should be
exclusively carried out within the procedureenvisaged by the Criminal Procedure Code. In such
cases, a disciplinary proceeding cannot substitute
the criminal proceedings and cannot be an appropriate
way of verifying such information.
Tomorrow morning official letters will be sent to the
Prosecutor General’s Office and the Police. The advocates noted that apart from the call, a written
complaint will be lodged with the Human Rights Defender, which will also be taken into consideration.
The course of the events will be at the center of my
attention to the fullest extent of the Human Rights Defender’s mandate.
Mr. Arman Tatoyan
The Human Rights Defender of Armenia
Հայերեն
