Epress.am News from Armenia
Immediately after a psychological examination found that Armavir prison inmate Anzor Karapetyan – who was found hanged in his cell on January 4 2016, a few hours after being transferred to the prison – was not inclined to suicide, the criminal investigation into his death was suspended, while it would be more logical to start a new investigation into a possible murder, Ani Chatinyan, lawyer for Karapetyan’s legal successor, told Epress.am on Wednesday.
Anzor Karapetyan, as previously reported, participated in a fight on December 21, 2015 in the Armenian town of Armavir. He then turned himself in to the police and was arrested on the spot. On January 3, a court ruled to send Karapetyan to Armavir jail. The next day, prison officials handed the young man’s body over to his relatives, saying that he had committed suicide.
Lawyer Chatinyan has filed a court motion to reopen the case as a murder investigation. The court is expected to issue its decision in early September. According to the lawyer, the traces of violence found on Karapetyan’s body also testify to the fact that he did not commit suicide.
Note, another motioned filed by Chatinyan has already been granted by the court. The lawyer had requested to reopen the investigation into the fight that Karapetyan had taken part in. The case had previously been terminated based on the allegation that the other parties had been acting in self defense to protect themselves from Karapetyan’s attacks. The case will now be sent to a lower court to be reviewed by a new group of judges.