Epress.am News from Armenia
Azat Ghukasyan, mayor of the village of Hartashen in the southern Armenian province of Syunik, was arrested Tuesday evening, reports Hetq Online, citing its source in the police force.
The news outlet was unable officially to confirm the news which it received after work hours, but the uncle of the 14-year-old girl allegedly raped by Ghukasyan said that an acquaintance also informed him the mayor was arrested.
Recall, Ghukasyan also teaches physical education at the local school. Late last month, several students claimed that Ghukasyan asked 14-year-old Karine (her name has been changed) to follow him to the gym. Gagik, Karine’s uncle, said this wasn’t the first time the teacher had singled out Karine, who has an intellectual disability.
One of the female students followed the pair and peaked through the key hole, Gagik continued. Horrified at what she saw, she ran for help. The teachers came but were too afraid to open the door, Hetq Online had reported earlier. Gagik says the teachers knew what was happening but “thought it best to let the incident pass.”
Syunik regional police have since filed criminal proceedings under charges of RA Criminal Code Article 142 Section 1 (“lecherous acts with a person obviously under 16”).
The mayor insists that he neither raped nor sexually assaulted Karine in any way. However, the results of the investigation, it seems, have proved otherwise.
Recall, according to Hetq Online, this isn’t the first time that Azat Ghukasyan has been implicated in such a case. Unconfirmed reports allege that Ghukasyan was dismissed from the job of school principal in the past for sexual misconduct with female students.