ABOUT POLICE PROMPTNESS. “ONLY TEN DAYS LATER THEY GOT THE FINGERPRINT.”
September 24 2013
Recently, the police released a statement that the violence against
civilian activists are revealed. In particular, it was written:
“Recently, unknown persons were accusing the police for displaying
inactivity with regard to disclosure of the said criminal cases
along with the information on cases of beatings and violence against
the activists of civil actions. These accusations are baseless and
do not meet the reality. Immediately after the incident, numerous
operational and reconnaissance and investigative measures were
conducted, examinations were assigned, eyewitnesses were discovered,
video recordings were explored. Investigation of cases of violence
against civilian activists are directly under the supervision of the
Chief of Police, progress is reported every day.” And the detailed
description was following as to what and how was done. Next to a
couple of “disclosed” cases there were still the ones unrevealed, one
of which was the violence committed by unknown persons against Haykak
Arshamyan and Suren Saghatelyan on September 5, as a result of which
both got injured and were sent to hospital. We got interested from
Suren Saghatelyan and Haykak Arshamyan as to how prompt the police
was exactly for their case. S. Saghatelyan said,- “After the incident,
I was in the hospital for three days. I can say that on the same day,
September 5, police received written explanation of the incident from
us. On the day of being discharged from the hospital, I was given a
reference on passing a forensic examination. On the 9th day of the
incident, in the evening, I got a call from the police, and the next
day I and Haykak were called for the recognition of the victim. Papers
were filled in and we answered the questions from the investigator. A
criminal case was filed. On the 10th day after the incident, the same
criminal investigators came and took fingerprints from Haykak’s car,
and the investigators also fixed the cameras nearby. And whether they
have done anything or not, I am not aware of, because I was in the
hospital.” Suren Saghatelyan still has not fully recovered. “I still
have headaches, I take medicine against headaches. And my finger is
in the cast.” To note that Suren Saghatelyan was diagnosed with a
brain concussion, and criminals had broke his nose and finger. Haykak
Arshamyan confirmed that the inspection of the location was conducted
only ten days later after the incident. “In our case, a forensic
examination was assigned 4 days later after the incident. The car,
in which Suren was beaten, was examined only 10 days later and
fingerprints were taken, and only after PACE Commissioner Stefan
Fule’s meetings and appeals to various instances. As for the cameras,
I would like to tell that the investigator was trying to enter one
of the stores on Khorenatsi street on the 10th day to speak with the
management about the camera, although, there are also dozens of SRC
cameras in the street, and also a big camera attached to the light
pole, most probably recording 380 degrees, which, I think, belong
to the police or the City Hall. As for the beatings of activists at
the City Hall, a criminal cases was filed only weeks later, again
after Fule’s visit. So, Edik Baghdasaryan’s statement on the very
first day that our case could be disclosed at the very same night,
and criminals arrested, it still in force.” To note that Haykak
Arshamyan has got two closed fractions of the rids and injuries on
the face. “I’m not bad now, just my ribs still bother me and also
the swelling of sutures on my face and cheek have not yet come down,
but generally I am not bad,” – said he.
Melania BARSEGHYAN
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