Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

On 24.04.2023, the Poligraf team made a statement regarding the police raid in the club, noting that, “Last night, at around 1 am, the RA Police raided Poligraf without presenting any legal grounds. Everyone in the club was laid on the floor and forcibly taken to the police station. Our staff and visitors were cruelly beaten and strip searched in the police station. We demand justice for all the victims”.

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor human rights NGO strongly condemns the workstyle of the RA Police towards Poligraf staff and visitors, and calls on the competent bodies to take measures exclusively in accordance with the procedure and grounds established by law, strongly observing respect for and human attitude towards human rights, freedoms and dignity. 

At the same time, we hereby state our willingness to provide legal support to Poligraf team members and visitors affected by the unlawful actions of the RA policemen, and highlight once again that physical and mental integrity and dignity are inalienable values and should be protected in the Republic of Armenia, which adopted democratic and legal values.

*To get legal support, the mentioned persons can call HCAV’s lawyers at

• 093-81-92-75
• 094-04-22-68           

During the investigative action, all the persons in the club were laid down on the floor and forcibly transferred to the police station, where, according to the club’s statement, the club staff and visitors were cruelly beaten and strip searched. According to the statement of the club’s representatives, they were also not provided with legal grounds for the prohibition on entering the club territory, and sealing the club doors. 

Obviously, the vicious practice of law enforcement using physical and psychological violence cannot exist in a democratic society and will surely not have a positive impact on the state democracy indicators.

Noteworthy, a few days ago, film director Karen Hakobyan made a statement on having been subjected to inhuman treatment by the Police. According to Karen Hakobyan, he was held in the police division in handcuffs in the status of a detainee for hours on end and was not provided with water, which the law enforcement representatives explained by his appearance, and in addition, he was deprived of the opportunity to invite an advocate. 

Based on the aforementioned,

• We demand from the RA Prosecutor General’s Office and the Anti-Corruption Committee to initiate criminal proceedings on account of the alleged facts of the aforementioned two cases regarding the Police and Investigative Committee officials exceeding their authorities, beating persons and subjecting them to degrading treatment, and ensure comprehensive and objective investigation in the frame of the proceedings.
• We demand from the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs to initiate a service investigation with the purpose of holding to disciplinary responsibility those in charge of the alleged cases of using disproportionate force and manifesting inhuman treatment.
• We call on the Office of the RA Human Rights Defender to assess such cases not for the record, but substantively.