Charges Filed in Case of Extorting Testimony with Batons and Gas Masks

Based on a sufficient accumulation of evidence obtained during the pre-trial investigation of the case involving the abuse of official powers by officials of the RA Police, V.N. has been charged under Part 2 of Article 309 of the RA Criminal Code for the criminal act he committed in November 2008. At that time, holding the position of head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Arabkir Division of the Yerevan Police, he, along with a group of others, intentionally performed such acts accompanied by violence and the use of special means, which clearly exceeded the scope of his powers and caused significant harm to the rights of individuals and the legal interests of the state.

According to information provided by the Special Investigative Service of Armenia, V.N. is accused of having discussed the attempt at residential burglary with Armen Martirosyan, who was apprehended by the police on suspicion of committing that crime, in his office at the beginning of November 2008, with the participation of employees from the same division. After Martirosyan denied any involvement in the incident, V.N. and several other police officers demanded that he confess to the attempted burglary, subsequently throwing him to the ground, using a gas mask on his head, and striking various parts of his body with their hands and with a baton, inflicting physical pain.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.