Charges Filed Against Three Residents of Gundevaz Community for Hooliganism

The Investigative Committee of Armenia is conducting an inquiry into a case of hooliganism committed by a group of individuals in the Gundevaz community, with the use of objects as weapons.

According to preliminary investigations, on September 15, 2020, a 54-year-old resident of Gundevaz publicly insulted his fellow villagers and their family members, exhibiting discriminatory behavior without any justification. Upon learning of this, the affected individuals agreed to meet at a location known as ‘Khacher’s Head’ for clarification.

On September 15, 2020, around 22:00, the parties involved, armed with wooden sticks and metal rods, arrived at the agreed-upon location in over ten different vehicles. The meeting escalated into a confrontation where the parties, in a gross violation of public order and with overt disrespect towards the residents of Gundevaz, yelled insults and created noise. They engaged in violence against each other using wooden sticks, metal rods, stones, and their feet and hands, while also threatening each other with violence by throwing stones, damaging nearby vehicles, thus disturbing the peace and quiet of the community and compromising the physical and mental integrity of numerous individuals, instilling feelings of anxiety, fear, and vulnerability.

Based on the evidence collected, three individuals involved in the incident have been charged with hooliganism under Part 4 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. A motion has been submitted to the court for the arrest of these three defendants as a preventive measure. The investigation is ongoing, with measures being taken to clarify all circumstances of the incident, ascertain the full scope of participants, individualize the actions of each involved, and provide legal evaluations.

Note: A suspect or accused person is considered innocent until proven guilty by a legally binding court judgment, in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia.