Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

The RA Human Rights Defender started a discussion pertaining to J. Ghukasyan’s death case on his own initiative back in December 2018, but has not yet met the accused A. Razgildeyev and observed his detention conditions.

On January 21, 2019, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor chairman Artur Sakunts and the Organization’s lawyers Arayik Zalyan and Hayk Hakobyan -the representatives of J. Ghukasyan’s successor- applied to the Human Rights Defender with that matter. The Human Rights Defender’s staff informed that the application was being studied and that on December 14, 2018, the Human Rights Defender started the discussion procedure on his own initiative and claimed clarifications from the relevant body of criminal prosecution.

In the application addressed to the Human Rights Defender, the representatives of the victim’s successor recommended to find out whether A. Razgildeyev’s rights were violated (A. Razgildeyev is held in the Russian military base No. 102, which is not an RA penitentiary institution), to make a visit to familiarize with the conditions in which he is held and take actions to transfer him to the RA penitentiary institution.

A. Sakunts, A. Zalyan and H. Hakobyan mentioned that holding A. Razgildeyev in the Russian military base No. 102 is torture in the light of the precedent decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and underscored that the violation of the rights of the accused should be eliminated for the complete, full and objective examination of the criminal case.

On April 19, 2019, the representatives of the victim’s successor again applied to the Defender to get information on the actions in this direction taken by the staff of the Human Rights Defender.

By the note dated May 30, 2019, A. Tatoyan informed that the discussion procedure of J. Ghukasyan’s death case continued, notes were sent to the RA Prosecutor General and the President of the Investigative Committee.

The Defender also informed that works were conducted to visit A. Razgildeyev, have a private conversation with him and observe the conditions where he is held. However, it was not stated in the response when all the aforementioned would take place.