Epress.am News from Armenia
Armenia's Criminal Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal against the decision to discontinue proceedings in the case of 20-year-old Maro Guloyan, who, according to the official report, committed suicide. This was stated in a statement issued on May12 by Lusine Minasyan, the attorney representing the victim's legal successor.
"The Court of Appeal disregarded the compelling arguments that cast serious doubt on the suicide theory," said the attorney.
The defense intends to appeal the decision till the final judicial level, the Court of Cassation. Recall, according to the official version, Maro Guloyan killed herself on July 12, 2012. However, the defense believes she was a victim of violence.
Maro had a daughter and at the time of the incident she was pregnant with a boy. After she got married, Maro moved from her native town of Byureghavan to the village of Arinj — to the family of Gevorg Guloyan, who is related to Abovyan mayor Karo Guloyan.
According to Lusine Minasyan, case materials confirmed that Maro was constantly in quarrels with her husband Gevorg — due to his gambling habit. Gevorg constantly took loans from his wife's family, and shortly before the incident, he asked Maro's brother to take out a loan in his name, to the tune of 600,000 AMD (about $1,450 USD) so he can pay off his debts. Maro's husband not working and constantly gambling became the cause of the constant arguments. Members of Maro's family also knew that Gevorg always physically assaulted his wife, who, nevertheless, never went to the police and the traces of violence were never recorded.