Armenia`s former human rights defender demands probe into torture of  citizen

ArmInfo. Based on the lawyers' statement that citizen Samvel Vardanyan, while under investigation,  was subjected to torture and ill-treatment, criminal proceedings should be immediately initiated, reads a statement by the ex-Ombudsman of Armenia, head of the Tatoyan Foundation, Arman Tatoyan.

"Criminal prosecution in this case is mandatory. Even if a  disciplinary investigation has been initiated, this does not mean  that a criminal case cannot be initiated. The reports of the deputies  of the National Assembly who visited the citizen must also be  verified under the same criminal procedure.

The lawyers' reports are so detailed that their reliability is beyond  doubt and, by force of law, create the obligation of the state to  respond to them exclusively in criminal proceedings. The  international rule in this matter is clear: if the state cannot  refute this data with arguments in criminal proceedings, then the act  is considered proven.

The lawyers' reports are fully consistent with the act of torture  against Samvel Vardanyan, which was carried out by some masked people  with actions that caused severe physical pain or mental suffering to  the person. Presumably, this happened with the knowledge or consent  of the police officers," Tatoyan stated.

The human rights activist emphasized that both the actions of the  police who accompanied the citizen and the actions of the masked  persons who, according to lawyers, tortured Samvel Vardanyan, should  be investigated.

"Identifying these acts and bringing them to justice is also  necessary to prevent such extremely dangerous manifestations in the  future and to ensure the rule of law in these matters in general.

In addition, this case must be considered taking into account the  public statement of the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen  Simonyan, that is, a high-ranking official of political power, which  includes his public address to a citizen in an offensive form and  presumably language that directs law enforcement officers. This is  evidenced by the reaction of the investigative body and especially by  the lawyers' reports of torture. In other words, the connection  between the initiation of criminal prosecution against a citizen, the  use of torture against him and the statement of the Chairman of the  National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia is one of the  circumstances to be clarified in criminal proceedings," Tatoyan  added.

According to him, it is necessary to find out whether this or that  official of the political power has any relation to the organization  of torture of Samvel Vardanyan, in the form of attracting masked  persons and receiving the patronage of accompanying police officers.

Tatoyan also informed that a report with the details of this  outrageous incident will be sent to international institutions, given  the exceptional nature of the case of torture presented in the  lawyers' report (torture of a citizen under the responsible control  of the police by masked persons), in order to ensure control over  criminal proceedings.

We would like to add that the Office of the Ombudsman of Armenia  responded to this incident only after criticism voiced against Human  Rights Commissioner Anahit Manasyan.

The message, as always, used the usual words about visiting Vardanyan  and initiating discussions on this incident.

At the same time, Manasyan emphasized that "any manifestation of  violence is extremely unacceptable and condemnable. Each case must  receive a proper legal assessment, and the perpetrators must be  brought to justice. The state has clear legal obligations in this  regard," she added, calling to refrain from any statements and  actions that promote hatred, intolerance or violence.

"Moreover, public and political figures, representatives of the media  should not only refrain from using such statements, but also  counteract any manifestation of them with their actions," noted  Manasyan, who, in general, did not give a clear assessment of the  incident.

According to independent observers, this is not the first time that a  person charged with the function of protecting human rights - the  Ombudsman of Armenia, due to his political engagement, ignores  flagrant violations of human rights by the current authorities of the  Republic of Armenia.

On April 15, an incident occurred in public transport between a  citizen and a deputy from the ruling Civil Contract faction. Thus,  citizen Samvel Vardanyan, recognizing deputy Aslanyan riding on the  bus, threw in his face "Anti-Armenian bastard, he decided to go  public." These words aroused the anger of the deputy, who rudely  demanded to give him the way, and then attacked the young man with  his fists, knocking the phone out of his hands. Vardanyan was  detained on the same day and charged with hooliganism, although,  according to the human rights activist, there are no signs of  hooliganism.

Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan, reacting to what  happened, in particular, wrote:  "Today, one nonentity allowed  himself to commit a hooligan act against the 69-year-old deputy of  the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Hakob Aslanyan, who,  by the way, is a participant in three wars. This hooligan act will  very quickly receive the strictest punishment." let no one doubt the  reaction of the law."

On April 16, during a press conference, Vardanyan's lawyer Varazdat  Harutyunyan said that on the way from the Investigative Committee to  the pre-trial detention center, the latter was severely beaten by  three masked men. Presenting the details of the beating with the  permission of the victim, Harutyunyan noted that such an attitude can  only be found in Baku prisons towards Armenian prisoners.