Accused Jumps from Window of Investigation Committee and Dies

The accused jumped from the third-floor corridor window of the Ararat regional investigation department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia and died.

On April 27, 2023, Police officers, acting on the investigator's instructions, escorted M. Poghosyan to the Ararat regional investigation department. While waiting for his lawyer in the corridor with the escorting police officers on the third floor, M. Poghosyan suddenly jumped onto a table beneath the window and then jumped out of the window, apparently to escape. As a result of the injuries sustained, he died.

It is noteworthy that M. Poghosyan was charged on September 30, 2022, under paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 404 and Article 393 of the Criminal Code of Armenia for cultivating a particularly large amount of prohibited narcotic plants, specifically about 200 cannabis plants, and for the distribution of marijuana of a total weight of approximately 277 grams in several packages aimed at sale.

As a preventive measure, a ban on leaving was chosen for him. Later, as a result of operational data, a search of his vehicle revealed a tetrahydrocannabinol plant mixture. Based on this, the charge was amended, and the court subsequently ordered his detention. After the two-month detention period expired, the body conducting the proceedings submitted a request to the court to extend the period by another two months; however, this request was denied by the court, and a ban on leaving was chosen as a preventive measure for the individual. Following that, it became apparent that M. Poghosyan had unlawfully acquired marijuana, which was discovered and seized during a personal search on April 25, 2023.

Based on new information obtained in the criminal proceedings, a new public criminal prosecution was initiated by the prosecutor, after which the investigator instructed the Police to present M. Poghosyan to the body conducting the proceedings. Police officers, under the investigator's instruction, escorted M. Poghosyan to the Ararat regional investigation department on April 27, 2023, where the incident occurred.

A criminal case has been initiated concerning the incident under parts 2 of Article 446 (official negligence that has inadvertently caused a person's death) and part 1 of Article 506 (escape from detention or evasion from serving a sentence) of the Criminal Code of Armenia. An external examination of the scene and the body has been conducted, with no signs of violence found on the body. All necessary measures are being taken to clarify the circumstances of the incident.