Armenian lawyer Karen Alaverdyan, who was beaten up by police officers in early June, and his client, identified by his initials as G.B., have been charged with hooliganism and obstruction of lawful police actions, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Monday.
The lawyer claimed he was assaulted and detained while trying to stop police officers from kicking and punching his client at a police station in Yerevan on June 7.
In Pashinyan's Armenia, Armenian lawyers are fighting for a simple request:
to terminate the duties of the police officers who beat up their colleague Karen Alaverdyan
? @awiktorin
? @usembarmenia
? @hrw @amnestyhttps://t.co/P6z9YNHdW4 https://t.co/COgoIUbaKE— HovikM #FreeArmenianPOWs (@HovikYerevan) June 20, 2023
The Prosecutor’s Office launched a criminal probe into the incident. According to an order issued by Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan on 22 June, the National Security Service (NSS) has been tasked with continuing the investigation into the case.
Many lawyers voiced support for Alaverdyan and held protests against police violence in the Armenian capital after the incident. They announced a strike on 26 June observed as the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2023/06/26/lawyer-charges/2857629
https://news.am/eng/news/767378.html
https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2023/06/20/protest-Interior-Ministry/2854563
https://news.am/eng/news/767378.html
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/06/crucial-reimagine-access-justice-un-expert
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G23/066/58/PDF/G2306658.pdf?OpenElement
