Sona Mnatsakanyan's Father Approached Me: Taguhi Tovmasyan

The chairwoman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs, non-partisan Taguhi Tovmasyan, writes:

“If, in any real democratic country, the motorcade transporting the Prime Minister were to hit a civilian and leave him helplessly behind, the Prime Minister would be held accountable first and foremost. However, following the tragic incident in Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan not only continues to serve as prime minister, but the driver responsible for the accident remains at large.

Recently, I was approached by Armenian citizen Mnatsakan Mnatsakanyan, the father of Sona Mnatsakanyan, who was hit by the traffic police vehicle escorting the Prime Minister on April 26, 2022, at the intersection of Leo and Paronyan streets in Yerevan. The citizen stated that having the legal status of a victim's heir in the criminal case opened, he observes that a biased investigation is being conducted. The driver of the vehicle that caused the death of his daughter and granddaughter is still free.

According to the applicant, no appropriate criminal-legal assessments have been given to other guilty persons, the examination of the case is being unnecessarily delayed, and everything is being done to ensure the impunity of those individuals. The applicant believes that this kind of illegal behavior by law enforcement agencies and the courts is evidently conditioned by subjective factors, including the personality of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

According to the victim's lawyer, the course of the preliminary investigation is delayed, the objective process of the case is disrupted, and an additional expertise on legal issues has been appointed when an initial expertise on primary issues has already taken place, which is unnecessary. These unreasonable delays could lead to unfavorable outcomes for the case.

I have sent a letter to the Prosecutor General of Armenia regarding the issues raised by M. Mnatsakanyan, and I have been informed that my letter has been addressed to the Yerevan city prosecutor's office.

The problems raised are indeed very concerning, which is why I also decided to appeal to my international partners, drawing their attention to the concerns presented by the father of the tragic incident's victim, Sona Mnatsakanyan, considering that M. Mnatsakanyan wishes for me to convey his concerns to international circles as well.

Yesterday, I also drew the attention of the Vice President of the German Bundestag, Katrin Göring-Eckardt, to this topic. In relation to the case, five members of the Bundestag have already sent a letter to the President of the National Assembly of Armenia.

I consider it important to state that both domestic and international legal frameworks guarantee the right to a fair trial. The European Convention on Human Rights stipulates that everyone has the right to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law when determining his civil rights and obligations or any criminal charge against him.

As the chairwoman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs, I will be consistent in following the investigation process of this tragic case and call upon the relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive and objective examination of the case, strictly adhering to criminal procedural rules. As a result, not only will all perpetrators be punished, but answers will also be provided to all the questions arising among the public regarding potential influences on the case.

As for those referencing procedural requirements concerning the lack of duty to assist the pregnant woman, I must remind them that it is the Constitution that enshrines man as the highest value.

P.S. A person suspected of a crime or charged with it is considered innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia, by a court ruling that has come into legal force.”