Epress.am News from Armenia
On Nov. 25, the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women in Armenia will be organizing a protest and march in memory of Zaruhi Petrosyan (pictured), the 20-year-old woman who died as a result of domestic abuse on Oct. 1, 2010, at the hands of her husband and mother-in-law.
Speaking to Epress.am, Women’s Resource Center of Armenia (WRCA) Executive Director Lara Aharonian said that prior to the march, organizers will send letters to Armenia’s president, the Government of Armenia, the National Assembly (parliament) and the RA Ministry of Justice, asking these state bodies to keep an eye on Zaruhi’s case so that a fair and just verdict is issued in the case against her husband.
“Participating in the protest will be Society Without Violence NGO, Women’s Rights Center, Tufenkian Foundation’s Women’s Support Center, Zangakatun NGO, Sexual Assault Crisis Center and PINK Armenia NGO. We have formed a coalition and together we are fighting for women’s rights in Armenia,” said Aharonian.
The WRCA executive director informed Epress.am that the march will begin from Yerevan’s Cascade complex and will move toward Republic Square.
“We will also be organizing a petition and collecting donations. After his mother’s death, Zaruhi’s son has become orphaned, since Zaruhi’s husband [legally] has not acknowledged his paternity. We are planning to collect donations, so that after turning 18, the child will have some money. We are also preparing to open a bank account for him, since there are also many people from the diaspora who are prepared to support the collection for Zaruhi’s son,” said Aharonian.
Recall that Zaruhi Petrosyan’s husband Yanis Sarkisov was arrested last month. A criminal case has been launched against him under charges of Article 112, 2nd Paragraph, 4th point of Armenia’s Criminal Code (infliction of willful heavy damage to health with particular cruelty).