On June 29, the advocate of Arayik Khandoyan, the member of “Sasna Tsrer”, made an announcement on Khandoyan’s beatings near Nubarashen Penitentiary. As stated by him, especially in the last days, Arayik Khandoyan has been treated cruelly. “Khandoyan Arayik has definitely been subject to violence, tortured by the most cruel way possible. He has been beaten in the court building, in the cell, by 15 people. And forasmuch as the cell has been a small one, they have stood in queue and beaten one after another. The reason is the following: when they have brought Areg Kyureghyan and Mkhitar beating, I do not want to pronounce that word, by simply walloping, he (Khandoyan – G. H.) has said – what do you do? And those people came after him as well. I am convinced that he has a brain concussion at least, he was complaining of his head, has received a lot of hits on his head, kidneys, he has injuries on his legs. He has been beaten for a rather long time. When the boys present in the hall have been taken downstairs, Arayik has not wanted for the rest to know what has happened to him. He has concealed it, but they have noticed it… By the way, a lot of traces of blood have been in the cell, which, they have probably cleared already. After taking the boys downstairs, they have kept them in another place, for them not to be able to know what has happened to Arayik and Mkhitar. Smbat Barseghyan and Gagik Yeghiazarian have also been beaten apparently cruelly and aggressively, I do not even speak of the swearings”: informed the advocate.
He added that he has met with the other members of “Sasna Tsrer” to receive as much information as possible, inasmuch as Arayik Khandoyan has tried to conceal what happened to him because he has not wanted it to reflect on his friends and family members. “I told him that anyway, it will be announced… He has felt so unwell, he has felt sick, they have kept him in car for a long time and at the last moment they have taken him out to vomit. They say as if Khandoyan has been visited by a doctor 2-3 times and they have measured solely his blood pressure. The first one has shown that his blood pressure is very high, and the second one – very low. There is no doubt that he has a serious need of professional examination. I have just handed an application to the head of the penitentiary. Taking into consideration that the regime will undertake preparations of the materials relative to the case in days, I think that a part of body injuries may disappear in days. However, for example, the injuries on his legs were not superficial”: mentioned Arayik Khandoyan’s advocate.
Arayik Papikyan stated that Khandoyan has not been provided with any medicine and the information implying that a serious professional medical assistance has been shown will be false: “Arayik has asked after entering Nubarashen Penitentiary to invite his advocates and a representative from the Ombudsman’s office. They have not accomplished his request. Arayik has been advised to write an application for right to a phone call. The lawyer has told – your application has been sent to the head as the usual procedure requires and after receiving a positive response, a solution will be given. There is no answer until now, it comes he has been deprived of that opportunity as well. I am informed that a representative from the Ombudsman’s office has visited at last.”
Gohar HAKOBYAN
