Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

On October 4, 2018, Kotayk region General Jurisdiction Court decided on releasing D. Kh. on bail of 2,000,000 AMD. The latter is one of the participants of the dispute that occurred at ‘Hrazdan’ criminal-executive institution on June 25, 2017.

According to the indictment, cellmates D. Kh. and G. A. had always had tense relations, since D. Kh. kept offering G. A. to play card games but was rejected.

Another similar incident that took place on June 25, 2017, grew into a quarrel. Furthermore, criminal-executive institution workers did not attempt to calm the quarrel until criminal reputation A. Hayrapetyan interfered and persuaded the criminal-executive institution workers to leave and let him ‘solve the problem by himself’. Despite this, neither A. Hayrapetyan, nor his supporters who also participated in the process of ‘calming the dispute’, are charged under the initiated criminal case.  

On August 14, 2018, D. Kh.’s defender – HCA Vanadzor lawyer Ani Chatinyan – petitioned to change his preventive measure and release him on a signature basis or otherwise by applying a pledge of 1,000,000 AMD.

In the petition, A. Chatinyan mentioned that by keeping D. Kh. in custody, his rights are violated. The examination of the case did not result in the proof of his guilt. Moreover, after the end of the preliminary investigation, there is no concern that he might avoid liability or have influence on the persons involved in the case, since the latter are not released. Besides, D. Kh. has diseases that require serious and long-term treatment which is not provided by the state. A. Chatinyan also presented the documents on this matter to the Court.

A.Chatinyan mentioned that in case D. Kh. remains in custody, there are serious problems concerning his safety, since criminal reputation A. Hayrapetyan is not involved in the criminal case and D. Kh. has repeatedly mentioned that fact, which resulted in his being targeted by A. Hayrapetyan and his supporters. In this case, it is more appropriate for D. Kh. to stay in freedom.

Examining the petition, the Court decided to uphold it, but apply a pledge of 2,000,000 AMD.

 D. Kh. will be released upon the payment of the pledge.