Epress.am News from Armenia
A scuffle occurred at the Cassation Court in Yerevan on Thursday between the mothers of Armenian soldiers who died in the Armenian army in non-combat conditions and court bailiffs.
Irina Ghazaryan and Nana Muradyan had gone to the court to find out the fate of the final verdict on their complaint against police officers; the verdict was due to be issued on January 11 but was postponed due to judge Armen Khachatryan's transfer to another court.
At the Cassation Court the plaintiffs were first received by an official who introduced himself as the court's chief of stuff. After hearing their demands, however, the court official said he could do nothing to help them.
The disgruntled women then attempted to go to the second floor of the court building which caused a heated brawl between the mothers and several court bailiffs. Upon hearing the argument, Judicial Department head Karen Poladyan came out of his office and announced he would “allow no such tone inside the building.” He invited the women back to his office and acknowledged that Muradyan and Ghazaryan should have had been notified about the judge's transfer.
Nana Muradyan, the mother of Valery Muradyan who died in the Army in 2010, complained to the court official that it was not the first time judge Armen Khachatryan showed “such disrespect” towards them: “Before the start of the previous hearing the court clerk also approached us and said the judge was unwell and was unable show up to the hearing. How is it that they can phone us and summon us to court, saying that the judge has free time and can hold the hearing, but they are somehow unable to call us beforehand and notify about the postponement.”
Poladyan once again agreed that court officials should have had warned the women; however, he added that he had to listen to the other side also “to understand the reason for their failure to notify you properly.”
“I understand your concerns, and this is a sign that some officials need to change their professional conduct. I assure you, we'll do everything to resolve the issue,” he stated.
Video in Armenian: