S.O.S TEGHUT MOVEMENT ACTIVIST PERSECUTED, LAWYER STATES
Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Aug 24 2009
Armenia
Nona Galastyan, who represents the interests of Mariam Sukhudyan, an
active member of the S.O.S Teghut youth Green movement, has qualified
the charges brought against her client as "totally baseless." "I find
the charges brought against Mariam Sukhudyan to be totally baseless
and not in line with the real circumstances of the case," Galstyan
told reporters.
She pointed out that criminal proceedings have been initiated against
Sukhudyan with violations of the law. Specifically, the proceedings
were initiated in three months, whereas the law sets a 10-day period
for the procedure. According to a warrant served on Sukhudyan on
August 11, 2009, she had a status of accused. However, it was only on
August 15 that a decision obliging Sukhudyan to appear as accused was
made. According to Galstyan, a preliminary investigation is outside
the terms of reference of the Erebuni district police department,
Yerevan. She believes that the law-enforcers are thus trying to let
the real culprit go unpunished. Galstyan said that their only aim
is "to reveal the real circumstances of the case and hold the real
culprit responsible."
The story, which evoked public response, had its onset on November
13, 2008, after a Haylur TV report. One of the girls living in
Boarding School #11 in the Nubarashen neighborhood, Yerevan told
about sexual harassment on the part of a teacher. The video record
was provided by active members of the S.O.S. Teghut movement. The
Erebuni investigation department conducted an investigation and
initiated criminal proceedings on August 11- against Sukhudyan,
who was charged with false denunciation.
Incidentally, Hrair Avagyan, a member of the S.O.S. Teghut movement,
who works at Boarding School #11 as volunteer, does not rule out that
the charge brought against Mariam Sukhudyan is aimed at pressuring
her and distracting public attention from the Teghut mine problem.