Criminal Case Initiated Over Torture Reports Following Pashinyan's Visit to Syunik

During the investigative actions following Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's visit to Syunik, a criminal case has been initiated regarding reports of torture. This was announced today in a conversation with journalists at the National Assembly by Armenia's Chief Prosecutor Artur Davtyan.

“There hasn’t been a single incident that we haven’t responded to. All materials have been sent to the Special Investigative Service, and a criminal case has already been initiated. This means that we are merely following all processes within the legal framework. If anyone has committed flagrant hooliganism, we have responded to that; if disproportionate force was used by the police against anyone, the corresponding legal proceedings will follow, and we cannot talk about any political persecution here; I don’t even like that term,” Davtyan said, commenting on statements regarding “political persecution.”

Recall that on April 21, Pashinyan was greeted with offensive remarks and protests in Agarak, Meghri, and Kapan. In fact, he was unable to enter Kajaran at all because residents had blocked the city's entrance, and relatives of victims had gone to the cemetery to prevent him from gaining access.

During a meeting held in the Syunik regional administration, Pashinyan instructed law enforcement leaders to initiate legal proceedings against participants in the civil disobedience. More than two dozen residents of Syunik were detained for hooliganism and violence against a state representative.

Videos were also published online showing the use of force and torture against those detained, which led to the initiation of a criminal case in the Special Investigative Service.