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Environmental Activist vs. Police: Court Postponed

The Court of Appeals Wednesday postponed environmental activist Mariam Sukhudyan’s suit against the police because neither the police counsel nor Sukhudyan’s attorney had presented themselves in court, reports RFE/RL’s Armenian service.

Recall, Sukhudyan had launched a lawsuit against the police last year, demanding 1 million as compensation for moral damages, since the police, through police chief Alik Sargsyan and head of RA Police Public Relations Department Sayad Shirinyan, “violated her presumption of innocence.”

Earlier, a criminal case under charges of defamation was launched against Sukhudyan when she made public a Nubarashen special needs school teacher’s sexual harassment against his young students. While court proceedings were underway, RA Police Chief Alik Sargsyan, at a press conference, said that Sukhudyan had “made groundless accusations, slandered innocent people and prompted minors to commit punishable acts.” Furthermore, police press officer Sayad Shirinyan, in an interview with Taregir newspaper, called Sukhudyan “a criminal.” Later, however, Sukhudyan’s innocence was proven. The criminal case against her was quashed, while the teacher at the special needs school was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Sukhudyan’s case against the police has already gone through a few levels of court. Early this year, the Court of General Jurisdiction of First Instance of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan dismissed Sukhudyan’s suit due to the absence of norms in compensation for moral damages. The activist then complained to the appeals court, appealing the decision of the Court of First Instance.

“This is just a show [i.e. a kangaroo trial]; they’re going to dismiss [the case],” Sukhudyan told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. “Our aim is to go through all the levels of court in Armenia then appeal to the European Court.”