Case of Threats Made Against MP Zaruhi Postanjyan Now Submitted to Court of Cassation

The Helsinki Citizens' Assembly (HCA) Vanadzor office submitted an appeal in the case of Zaruhi Postanjyan to the RA Court of Cassation, asking the higher court to annul the Court of Appeals ruling, according to a statement [AM] on the NGO's website. 

Recall, on May 5, the RA Criminal Court of Appeal, considering HCA Vanadzor office President Artur Sakunts' appeal in the case against Hayoc Artsivner ("Armenian Eagles") NGO President Khachik Asryan for threats he made to MP Zaruhi Postanjyan (pictured), rejected the appeal.  

The case was based on a comment Asryan made. He said: "Zaruhi Postanjyan should be burned alive at the stake not as a Joan of Arc but as a Ramil Safarov." Later, Asryan said he meant not Postanjyan, but her deed, referring to Postanjyan's question to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. 

On October 14, 2013, the HCA Vanadzor office submitted a notice about a crime to the RA General Prosecutor's office. On October 31, Special investigation Service inspector M. Babayan decided not to initiate criminal proceedings. The inspector's decision was appealed first at the RA General Prosecutor's office, where it was rejected, then the case was taken to the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan. On March 4 this year, the first instance court rejected the NGO's case. Subsequently, the RA Criminal Court of Appeal sustained the lower court ruling.