One Found, Another Surrenders: Preliminary Investigation of Mass Disturbances at Gavar Medical Center Concluded

The preliminary investigation into the mass disturbances at the Gavar Medical Center, which involved violence and the destruction of property by a group of individuals, continues to be conducted by the Special Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee. This was reported by the Investigative Committee.

As a result of comprehensive, complete, and objective investigations, the circumstances of the incidents and the identities of several participants were established.

It should be noted that earlier, the preliminary investigation regarding 19 individuals separated from the criminal case was completed and is now at the trial stage.

Following extensive investigative and other procedural actions, along with collaborative measures carried out with employees of the RA police, charges were filed against the individuals involved in the mass disturbances that took place on August 27, 2021, at the Gavar Medical Center under Article 225, Part 2 of the RA Criminal Code.

A part of those charges has been separated into a distinct proceeding, the conclusion of the preliminary investigation has been declared, and the criminal case has been sent to the supervising prosecutor with a request to confirm the accusatory conclusion and forward it to court.

Recall that on April 28, 2020, around 5:00 PM, as a result of a shootout on Freedom Street in Gavar, two residents of the Noratus community, V. Avetisyan and Z. Paronikyan, died at the scene from injuries incompatible with life, while A. Haytyan, D. Haytyan, and V. Davoyan were taken to the Gavar Medical Center with injuries.

After the incident, around 7:00 PM, relatives and friends of the deceased gathered near the medical center with numerous other individuals, cursing and shouting, convinced that the latter had killed their relatives, they sought to avenge the deaths and attempted to storm the building under the supervision of police officers.

Ignoring lawful demands from police employees to vacate the area, not to create crowding, and to cease calls for violence, riots began incited by a group of individuals. During these disturbances, participants committed violence against police officers, broke doors and windows at the medical center's entrance, and after breaking in, damaged and destroyed various types of property belonging to the medical center, including slashing the tires of two parked ambulances, causing material damage.

During the disturbances, one participant, a resident of Noratus village, while in the company of unidentified individuals, broke the doors of patient rooms and found D. and A. Haytyan in one of them, where they inflicted knife and fist blows to various parts of their bodies with the intent to unlawfully kill two or more individuals in revenge. However, the crime was not completed due to circumstances beyond their control; believing that the Haytyans had been killed, they fled.

Efforts are ongoing regarding the unidentified individuals involved in the disturbances, including operational-investigative and operational-search measures.