POLICE DECIDE TO KEEP ARSHALUYS HAKOBYAN BEHIND BARS FOR ANOTHER MONTH
Natasha Harutyunyan

ciation/
2009/08/14 | 15:15

Court

On July 5, 2009, Helsinki Association member and legal rights defender
Arshaluys Hakobyan was arrested by police at his home, charging him
with resisting arrest while in an intoxicated state. On August 5,
law enforcement officials decided to extend his detention by one month.

At a press conference held today, Helsinki Association President
Mikayel Danielyan and attorney Gayaneh Khachatryan spoke about
the case.

Ms. Khachatryan stated that Arshaluys Hakobyan was arrested by police
from the Kentron Division who had visited his home to deliver a
summons. The police claim that he was drunk and proceed to assault
them.

The attorney argues that just the opposite occurred. "By law, when
the police deliver a summons or subpoena they must hand it to the
intended addressee or to a family member. When Hakobyan’s wife told
the police that he was asleep the police took no notice and argued
that they must deliver the notice to him directly. They told the wife
that he must be woken. The police made their way into the apartment and
even entered the bedroom. Since Hakobyan has vision problems he signed
the document in the wrong place, further infuriating the police. They
demanded that he sign the summons correctly," stated Ms. Khachatryan.

She went on to say that Hakobyan demanded that the police vacate his
home since they had delivered the summons and that the police were in
an uproar when told this. the attorney say that numerous violations
occurred during the case examination.

Ms. Khachatryan claims that only two witnesses were called to testify –
the two cops allegedly beaten.

Mikayel Danielyan stated that he and Mr. Hakobyan served as monitors
during the May 31 municipal elections in the district and that they
were hampered in completing their work.

Mr. Danielyan added that the two protested the incident to the Special
Investigative Service but that Hakobyan was the one who signed off
on the complaint. Mr. Danielyan stated that to date no one has been
summoned to the SIS in writing but rather by phone.

The Helsinki Association president stated that he is convinced that
the arrest of Mr. Hakobyan is directed against their organization. He
recounted that when Hakobyan was brought to the Kentron police station,
the local chief asked, "So you’re the legal rights defender? Here’s
what I think of you and your boss…"The police chief then spat
on Hakobyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress