On June 23, when the police brutally suppressed the citizens who had come out for peaceful demonstration against the rise in electricity, some of them reported on violence by the police. A criminal proceeding was filed. As we have already reported, the journalist for “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun”, Ani Gevorgyan, has already been recognized as an aggrieved party in this case, who, today, was invited by the Special Investigation Service (SIS). In the conversation with “Aravot,” Ani told us that today the SIS investigator officially notified that she is recognized as a victim. According to the journalist, the number of aggrieved in this case are seventeen, and they are the citizens, who on the day of incident, June 23, reported at Yerevan Police Department about the violence against them by the police officers, and some of them reported after the incident. There are also people who did not submit reports but applied for medical care, and they are also involved as victims. Ani said that she is not aware of how many people have been interrogated, but she knows that now the phase of interrogations is underway. Today she had gone to SIS with a member of a police task force, Sargis Gevorgyan, who is also recognized as an aggrieved party in the same case. She saw there another young man who was a participant of the protest and had undergone violence by the police officers. Ani was interrogated by the Deputy Head of SIS Crime Investigation Department, Vahagn Muradyan, who today has informed that the journalist that the two criminal cases that were filed were combined and examined under one proceeding. Recall that on June 30, the SIS has released a message saying that 2 criminal cases were instituted on June 23 in connection with these cases. One case was instituted based on the message of Ani Gevorgyan and Sargis Gevorgyan, and the other one – the remaining citizens. Based on the message by Ani and Sargis, a criminal case was instituted by clause (2) of Article 309 (Exceeding official authorities) of the Criminal Code, and clause (3) of Article 164 (Hindrance to the legal professional activities of a journalist). And based on message of the message of other citizens, a criminal case was instituted by clause (2) of Article 309 of the Criminal Code. The journalist of “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” mentioned that this time she was quickly recognized as an aggrieved party, unlike in February when the police officer, Vardan Gevorgyan, had tried to seize Ano’s camera, and then, the Head of Kentron Police Department, Artak Poghosyan, has hit the journalist right in the Department. “With regard to the case, a proceeding was initiated. The investigation lasted four months, but during these four months, I was not recognized as an aggrieved party, whereas there were videos and evidences … And after all, this case was just closed.” Although Ani believes that at this stage it is impossible to find logic in the actions of investigation body, and thinks that the case will proceed at the SIS as it will be instructed from above, yet, she state the fact that she was very quickly recognized as an aggrieved party, and emphasized that she is going to fighter with all means provided for by the law to bring the police officers committed crime to responsibility. “I would very much like for all other citizens that were affected by police violence, also be guided by this principle. Violence committed police officers should not be left unpunished.”
Melania BARSEGHYAN
