Epress.am News from Armenia
The Helsinki Citizens' Assembly – Vanadzor Office (HCAV) has motioned for the RA Special Investigation Service (SIS) to involve the First Deputy Head of the RA Police Hunan Poghosyan and Deputy Head of the RA Police Levon Yeranosyan as the accused as part of the criminal case in connection with the violent dispersal by the Armenian police of the peaceful demonstration in Yerevan on June 23. The Deputy Police Heads, the authors said, should be charged for giving an order to seize the cameras of journalists and destroy the data storage devices.
Early this month SIS initiated criminal proceedings under articles of obstructing legal professional activities of journalists by an official abusing one's official position; abuse of power committed with violence, weapons, or special measures; and deliberate destruction or damage of one's property.
At the same time, HCAV filed another motion for the involvement as the accused of the police officers who used excessive force and violence against the peaceful demonstrators on Baghramyan Avenue on June 23. HCAV also presented to the SIS a list of names of the officers whose identities the Organization managed to establish, as well as attached photos of the plainclothes policemen for their identification and indictment.
“By their actions, Yeranosyan and Poghosyan committed a publicly dangerous act. The order to destroy the footage shot by journalists was aimed to cover up the crimes committed by police officers and was motivated by the desire to conceal the crimes committed by them and other high-ranking police officials,” HCA Vanadzor office said in the motion.