The appeal criminal court of RA rejected the appeal of the defense attorney of the Russian citizen seeking asylum, leaving unchanged the coercive measure of medical nature applied to the man accused of hooliganism. The court made such a decision based on the lack of medical documents certifying the improvement of the health condition.

The incident, on the basis of which criminal proceedings were initiated, took place in mid-July last year. According to the case materials, while in the departure hall of the “Zvartnots” international airport, the foreigner grossly violated the public order. Showing a clear contemptuous attitude towards the environment and moral norms, he threw a bottle of alcoholic drink in the direction of the benches, and also uttered curses and obscene expressions directed at Armenian women, the nation and RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Such aggressive actions disturbed the peace of passengers and the normal operation of the airport.

On charges of hooliganism, the court imposed medical supervision as a security measure, the term of which was extended in April of this year until June 10. The accused’s lawyer appealed against this decision, arguing that his client’s mental state has improved significantly, so there is no longer any need for a coercive measure.

The appellate court, however, recorded that the defense did not present any medical certificate documenting the improvement, effectively depriving the court of the opportunity to evaluate the circumstance. As a result, the presence of grounds and conditions for continuing the surveillance was recorded. At present, the Russian citizen continues to stay in one of the mental health centers of the RA Ministry of Health.

—