Former Ward of the State Stages Sit-In in Defense of Imprisoned Husband

A former resident of an orphanage in the Armenian city of Vanadzor began a sit-in outside the president’s residence in Yerevan today.

Taguhi Kocharyan, 26, came to Yerevan in the hope that the president will review her husband’s case. Speaking to the former ward of the state, the Epress.am correspondent noticed that she arrived with a placard and warm clothes.

Kocharyan’s husband, Roman Kudashin, who is likewise a former resident of the orphanage, is accused of stealing from the orphanage a music system valued at 150,000 AMD (about $370 USD). The Lori District Court of First Instance sentenced Kudashin to 4 years in prison.

Police directed Kocharyan, who was protesting outside the gates of the president’s residence, to the letters division, where they urged her to submit a written complaint and appeal to RA Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan, as the matter is under the jursidiction of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

After leaving the letters division, Kocharyan told Epress.am that her husand is innocent and there has been no evidence against him: “The director of the orphanage is not complaining; he doesn’t even suspect my husband.” Earlier, Kocharyan had protested the same issue outside the Armenian government.

“In 6 months, I’ve gone through all the levels; I’ve appealed to all of them; they’ve refused to help. I don’t know how to explain that I haven’t seen anything good in this life; I live in rented accommodation, mired in debt, lost two children, and haven’t been to a doctor after that; I’m ill; I can’t work — tell me, how am I supposed to live? This was the last straw. At least if his sentence was based on evidence, I would understand, but he was sentenced based on a judge’s personal conviction and with the heaviest charges,” she said.

Kocharyan said she borrowed money to come to Yerevan and she will spend the night outside the president’s residence until she gets results, which caused one of the police officers to say in response, “If you sleep [here], what will change? Nothing will change.”

Kocharyan countered that if nothing changes, she will fulfill her promise and commit suicide.

“I swear I’ll do it. If in a country neither the justice minister nor the president provides assistance, where do I go? And I am considered a citizen of the Republic of Armenia and no one helps me,” she concluded.