Open Letter to Armenian Ombudsman Anahit Manasyan by Karapet Poghosyan

Open Letter to Armenian Ombudsman Anahit Manasyan and other law enforcement bodies: This was stated by Gyumri-based human rights advocate Karapet Poghosyan on his Facebook page.

“Dear Madam, on July 10, 2023, you addressed the manifestation of violence against me and announced that you would initiate proceedings on your own initiative. This was commendable, but I inform you that a situation has arisen which hampers my full participation in the examination of the case.

1. Specifically, there is reasonable suspicion that the police officer in question was in an intoxicated state, and if he is not currently suspended from his duties, moreover has the opportunity to carry a weapon, could this not pose a real threat to my life and health, especially since this is not the first instance where he has harmed my health using his official position.

2. There is information that immediately after the last incident, his colleagues were present at the scene without a decision from the prosecutor or investigator, conducted examinations of the cameras, and spoke with witnesses. All this raises reasonable suspicion that the fairness, impartiality, and equitable processing of the investigation is at risk.

Therefore, I believe that in this situation, my participation in the examination of the case may not only be futile but also dangerous for the representative,” he wrote.

We remind you that we previously reported that the office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia announced that a procedural discussion has begun regarding the case of violence against the human rights defender.