Child's Condition and Legality of Structure: Lawyer Reveals New Details

Yesterday, users on social media in Armenia began circulating a video showing how police forcibly detained citizen Vazgen Rafaelian in front of three young children at the address of 3/15 Kurgyinyan Street in Yerevan, knocking him to the ground.

Vazgen Rafaelian's lawyer, Hasmik Martirosyan, informed Sputnik Armenia that the police's actions were due to the fact that Rafaelian had constructed a structure without permission. According to her, all court decisions exist, and there is an ongoing case regarding the legalization of this structure. The demolition order has also been contested.

“They are acting according to some decision made yesterday, while I, as a lawyer, urged them not to carry out any actions because we are protected by law, and they had no right to act. By pulling, insulting, throwing him to the ground, and handcuffing him—all this in front of the children—their demolition behavior reached the level of brutality. The children had run off into the fields; I don’t know how they later found them,” said the lawyer.

She also reported that a 5-year-old child, who witnessed the incident, was transported to the ‘Holy Mother of God’ Medical Center with convulsions. “The child was transferred to the hospital with convulsions, they gave him injections and prescribed medication; this child’s condition is the result of the police attack. Doctors say it’s due to stress. We have also contacted a psychologist,” stated the lawyer.

Martirosyan further noted that they will contest the demolition order in the Administrative Court, and a report regarding the police's actions has been submitted to the Investigative Committee.