Epress.am News from Armenia
Today, Vedi resident Ani Harutyunyan, with her two children (2 years old and 2 months old), began a sit-in in front of the Presidential Palace demanding that her husband be transferred to an open prison regime, allowing him to leave the prison during the day in order to work.
“I’m not asking for them to give me a place to stay or money to keep the children. Let them implement an open prison regime, so my husband goes out and works in order to support our children,” said Harutyunyan to an Epress.am journalist.
Ani Harutyunyan’s husband Mihran Janigulyan was sentenced to 6.5 years imprisonment in 2012 for hooliganism; Janigulyan argued with his father-in-law and hit him. His father-in-law Norayr Harutyunyan, was also in front of the Presidential office, and decided to participate in the sit-in with his daughter. He noted that, as the plaintiff, he demands nothing from his son-in-law, and wishes that he comes out and supports his family.
“There is also a 200,000 AMD fine my husband must pay. The state says you have to cover that debt and then maybe receive amnesty afterwards. Let them implement an open prison regime in order for him to work and he’ll cover the debt.”
According to Ani Harutyunyan, they conducted a sit-in last month in front of the Presidential office, however the Yerevan police called the Vedi police, who subsequently arrived and convinced them to stop the sit-in.
“They said come and we’ll solve the issue. It’s been one month and there’s nothing new. I went to the police, they said “we’re fed up with you.” We didn’t ask them to help us, so they get fed up,” said Harutyunyan.
This time the woman is prepared to continue her sit-in until the issue is resolved.
Ani Harutyunyan lives with her children in a home given to her by the Vedi municipality, which, according to her, is in a disastrous situation. Norayr Harutyunyan is a veteran, he’s appealed to President Serzh Sargsyan and Republican Party MP, general Manvel Grigoryan as military buddies, however his attempt bore no fruit.
Norayr Harutyunyan explained that he was arrested on March 1st, 2008 and was charged with participating in a mass riot. He was released due to health reasons. He had received a contusion during the Karabakh war.