Art Group Did Not ‘Harm Another’s Property’: Artists to Appeal in Court

Four members of the group Art Laboratoria ("art lab") are appealing a police decision to slap them with an administrative fine of 30,000 AMD each (about $75 USD) for spray painting detained political activist Shant Harutyunyan's face on the National Assembly building. Recall, the men were detained by police on Nov. 10, the same day they graffitied the wall.

Of the two options for appeal, to complain to the superior or take the judicial route, the activists chose the latter, since the superior of the officers who detained them is the police chief. Furthermore, by taking the matter to court, the artist-activists can be present during examination of the case.

Helsinki Association of Human Rights representative, attorney Gayane Khachatryan will be defending the artist-activists' rights in court. Speaking to Epress.am, the attorney said that the rationale for the appeal is the lack of evidence in the police decision.

"The police decision was made based on Article 53 Section 2 of the Code on Administrative Offenses, causing damage to another's property, [which was] based on the conclusion of the examination. This was used as grounds that 15,000 AMD is necessary to clean up the graffiti; meanwhile, there is no evidence that the image damaged another's property," she explained.