Daniel Ioannisyan: We Have Requested to Initiate Criminal Proceedings Regarding Allegedly Spitting in a Citizen's Face

“The Alliance of Informed Citizens” has submitted a criminal report to the Attorney General concerning the unrefuted news about National Assembly President Alen Simonyan allegedly spitting in a citizen's face and the illegal detention of that citizen by the police.

This was reported by Daniel Ioannisyan, the program coordinator of the “Alliance of Informed Citizens” NGO.

“In particular, regarding the alleged spitting in the citizen’s face (which has not been refuted), we have requested the initiation of criminal proceedings for hooliganism (Article 297 of the Criminal Code, 2021). As for the apparent illegal detention of the citizen, we expect the initiation of criminal proceedings against the official for abuse of powers (Article 441 of the Criminal Code) or for unlawful deprivation of freedom (Article 192 of the Criminal Code).

It should be noted that the criminal code adopted in 2021 changed the disposition of hooliganism, and now it includes the open display of contempt for moral norms through humiliation of an individual. In our assessment, the immobilization of a person through security personnel and then spitting in their face is nothing more than an open demonstration of contempt for moral norms, expressed through the humiliation of the individual.”