Husband Beats Wife, Brother-in-Law Joins in Beating

In the village Gandzak (near Gavar) in the province of Gegharkunik, a woman who was subject to 13 years of domestic violence applied to the police. The Special Investigation Service (SIS) initiated a criminal case and a forensic examination has proven that she has received cranial damages, fractures above her eyebrows, and abrasions to her nose. However, the criminal prosecution against the violent husband (a police officer) was terminated on the basis that “a beating is when multiple blows are thrown at the victim, while one blow is not considered a beating,” writes journalist Arman Gharibyan on womennet.am. According to the statement, Sona (name changed) has been subject to violence not only from her husband but also from her brother-in-law, the criminal case against whom has not been dismissed.

As Sona explained, her husband’s family constantly threatened that if she complained to the police that she would never see her children again.

On October 3, 2014, the family was to celebrate their daughter’s birthday. “Karen got drunk again, I asked them to call and call his brother Arshak (name changed) to come and calm his drunk brother down; he is the only person who is able to make Karen sleep in that condition,” said Sona.

According to her, when her brother-in-law came to their home, the two brothers began to curse her and then eventually began punching and kicking her. “I pleaded to Arshak, told him to put his brother to bed. He replied, you’re going to tell me what to do? and hit my face with the remote control. Then the two brothers became one and started to push me around, my husband hit me in the back…. my daughter came and told him not to beat her mother’s back; I have a problem in my spine, I’ve had surgery on it…” said the women.

She tried to leave the house, however, the door was locked, they took the phone and didn't let her call for help. Anyways, the woman was successful in garnering the help of her neighbors and fled.

Currently, Sona and Karen are not divorced. The couple’s son stays with his father, and the daughter with the mother.