Man's Head Shaved and Forced to Strip in Armenia: New Details

In Yerevan, two individuals abducted a citizen for $1,000, shaved his head, beat him, forced him to strip, and recorded the entire ordeal. The Armenian Investigative Committee reported this information.

On May 24, the victim filed a complaint stating that two acquaintances had held him against his will in an apartment on Titogradyan Street in Yerevan and physically assaulted him following a dispute over a financial debt.

During the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, it was revealed that days before the incident, the victim had been involved in a car accident with a vehicle he rented and was unable to compensate the $1,000 damage he caused, leading to a conflict with the car owner. The victim's acquaintances—two residents of Yerevan—intervened in the dispute, assuring the car owner that the money would be paid.

They coerced the victim into committing theft to repay the debt, but when he refused, he attempted to escape.

“That same day, the aforementioned individuals visited the victim's residence, deceived him into being taken to one of the apartments on Titogradyan Street, where they first assaulted him, then shaved his head, forced him to strip, and enter the bathroom, performing humiliating acts, all of which were recorded on a mobile phone. After that, the money was transferred to the individuals who abducted the man through relatives, and he was released,” the Investigative Committee reports.

On June 28, the suspects were arrested and presented to the prosecuting body.

During the criminal proceedings, a search of the crime scene was conducted, during which one of the arrested individuals provided details of the incident, and recordings related to the case were found on his phone.

Public criminal proceedings were initiated against the two individuals under Article 192, Part 2, Point 5 of the RA Criminal Code (illegal deprivation of liberty by a group of individuals by prior agreement) and Article 196, Part 2, Point 5 (causing physical pain or severe mental suffering by a group). They have been remanded in custody.