VIDEO: Around 40 Participants in Mass Riots Identified by Investigation Committee

On June 12, 2024, during a protest held at the intersection of Baghramyan and Demirchyan streets in Yerevan, the Investigation Committee of Armenia initiated a criminal case under the first part of Article 327 of the Criminal Code due to mass riots that occurred that day. This information was provided by the Investigation Committee.

“Considering the specifics of the incident, a investigative team has been formed to conduct an operational, complete, and effective investigation. As a result of immediate investigative actions, it was found that starting from 7:30 PM on June 12, 2024, a group of protest participants began to disobey the legal orders of police officers overseeing public order and the safety of specially protected facilities in the area. They attempted to breach the barricade formed by the police through pushing and pressuring the officers while throwing bottles and various objects towards the police lines.

To prevent these actions, the Police of Armenia used special measures after being warned in advance. After this, numerous participants of the gathering, who again did not comply with the legitimate demands of the police and did not calm down, further resorted to sexual slurs against the officers, started physically attacking them with hands and feet, throwing rocks, wood, bottles, and smoke bombs at them, and breaking the metal fences of the adjoining park, thus committing mass riots associated with the use of violence that endanger lives and health, as well as causing property damage.

As a result of these actions, 101 individuals have sustained injuries and sought medical assistance, including 18 police officers. Numerous stones, metal rods, bottles, shards of glass, pieces of signs, and other objects, along with traces of blood, were discovered during the examination of the scene.

Through immediate investigative actions, including the examination of video footage broadcasted about the events, more than forty individuals who committed these acts of violence and property damage have already been identified. Efforts to identify the participants and individualize their actions continue extensively. The pre-investigation continues. Measures are being taken to locate them, legally assess their actions, and hold them criminally accountable,” the statement reads.

Note: A suspect in a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the law as established by a valid court ruling.