Three Residents Clash with Café Owner, Commit Acts of Violence: Investigative Committee Details

The investigation regarding a case of hooliganism has concluded at the Tavush Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee. Following necessary investigative and procedural actions carried out during the pre-trial proceedings, the circumstances of the incident have been clarified, including the motives, the identities of the three individuals who committed the crime, and a legal assessment of their actions.

The investigation established that on June 27, 2020, around 10:00 PM, a dispute occurred between three residents of Ijevan and the owner of a café located in the Achajur community over a trivial matter. While allegedly intoxicated, with intent to grossly disturb public order and demonstrate an imaginary superiority over the café owner, employees, and customers, these residents initiated a confrontation in the presence of villagers and resorted to violence against the café owner.

According to the case materials, during the dispute, one of the individuals grabbed and struck the café owner, and with the intent to run him over, drove a car toward him along with his friends, forcing the café owner to take refuge in a nearby store to avoid being hit.

During this time, aware that their actions disrupted the normal tranquility of the villagers, the aforementioned residents from Ijevan continued to threaten the Achajur man, hurling obscene sexual insults. One of them even threw a glass beer bottle from the café at him, which, however, did not hit its target.

Not satisfied with their actions, they took a car jack, a bat, and the wheel key from the trunk of their car and brandished them while walking toward the gathered crowd, threatening violence and grossly disturbing the public order, thereby disrupting the normal functioning of both the café and the store. This behavior displayed blatant disrespect toward the customers and employees of the mentioned café and store, creating an atmosphere of anxiety, anger, and fear among many villagers.

Based on the collected sufficient evidence, one of the residents of Ijevan has been charged under the fourth part of Article 258 of the RA Criminal Code, while the other two have been charged under the first point of the third part of the same article. Two of the accused have been detained as a preventive measure, while the third has been released on the condition that he does not leave.

The investigation has concluded, and the criminal case has been sent to the prosecutor overseeing the case with a motion for confirmation of the indictment and referral to court.