Ten Citizens Charged After Protest in Front of Prosecutor's Office

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has confirmed that ten participants of a protest held near the Republic Square have been charged with hooliganism. This follows an investigation by the Yerevan investigative unit of the Committee's Serious Crimes Division.

According to the Committee's informational and public relations department, on April 22, 2021, at around 18:00, many individuals participated in a gathering organized in support of arrested citizens from Syunik. The protest then proceeded to the main entrance of the office of the Prosecutor General of Armenia, where ten attendees, ignoring police orders to maintain public order, engaged in a course of conduct characterized by a compulsion to create a sense of individual superiority.

During the protest, two of these individuals assaulted the Prosecutor General's office with various objects, causing distress and alarm among the police officers present, staff members of the Prosecutor's office, and bystanders, thereby displaying open disrespect towards society.

Based on a combination of sufficient evidence collected during the investigation, these ten participants have been charged under the first part of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. As a precautionary measure, they have been subjected to a signature restriction to prevent them from fleeing.

The preliminary investigation has been completed, and the criminal case has been sent to the supervising prosecutor with a request for the approval of the indictment and court referral.

Note: A suspect or accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the law and based on a legally binding court decision.