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CRUEL “VICTIM” OF MARCH 1

Politics


Armenian courts have passed the toughest sentence upon 30-year-old Ara Hovhannisyan detainees in connection with March 1-2 unrest in Yerevan City. The son of an Arsakhi war veteran and commander of the Kilikia detachment Smbat Hovhannisyan was sentenced to a 9-year imprisonment.


Ara Hovhannisyan is charged with Articles 225 and 238 of Armenia’s Criminal Code. He is sued for applying violence against the head of Gugark’s police department Grisha Ayvazyan and seizing a Makarov gun on March 1.


Ara Hovhannisyan was arrested on June 7, 2008. Later in the day the Prosecutor’s Office issued a release stating that the accused had pled guilty. Hovhannisyan had also confessed that immediately after the incident he had thrown the Makarov into the Sevan-Hrazdan-Ararat water-pipe.


On June 16, 2008 Ara Hovhannisyan informed Human Rights Defender Armen Harutyunyan that he had been forced to shoulder the blame. But the Prosecutor General paid no attention to Hovhannisyan’s statement and instead of ordering an inquest into the case he instructed to toughen Hovhannisyan’s punishment.


According to eye-witnesses on March 1 a Vilis police car drove to the mob at a terrific speed knocking down three. This made the demonstrators furious. They attacked the driver and beat him up.


Ara’s mother hopes her son will soon be set free. Ara hasn’t lived in Armenia for a few years and visited his parents on the tragic days.


“My son is innocent. He has committed no crime. Why should he be sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment?” said Anahit Tonoyan.


Ara is an only child in the family. The parents have already appealed to the European Court of Human Rights. They say even the beaten policeman didn’t identify their son in his testimony. They lack circumstantial evidence and have been unable to prove my son’s guilt. I am determined to struggle to the end,” said Ara’s mother.


Note that the Prosecutor’s Office has requested the Appellate Court to extend Hovhannisyan’s sentence for another four years but the request has been turned down.