During 2015, the Courts of the Republic of Armenia ruled 136 acquittal verdicts to 157 person, 110 of them were justified completely, and 47 partially. Comparing these figures with the total numbers, it turns out that 4.1 percent of 3869 person subjected to prosecution, were acquitted.
We were provided this information was given us from the Statistics and Summarizing Department of Judicial Practice of the RA Judicial Department.
Moreover, 12 acquittal verdicts, which were not included in this statistics were later reversed by the Criminal Court of Appeal.
Most of the acquitted were charged in not very grave, medium gravity, grave crimes.
According to the statistics of the Judicial Department, 44 person (28 percent of the acquitted) were charged with the petty crime and were acquitted. 36.9 percent (58 persons) of those charged with medium gravity crime were acquitted. 48 persons (30,6 %) of charged with grave crimes were acquitted. and only 1 person charged with particularly grave crime was acquitted.
Statistics also include the number of court decisions on dismissal of criminal proceedings of 9 cases (9 persons), which resulted in the acquittal of persons who acquired acquittal status.
Form the total number of 157 acquitted persons 152 (96.8%) were adults and only 5 were juvenile. 131 were male and 26 were female.
119 acquittal decision from 136 (referring to 137 persons) were ruled by the First Instance Courts; 12 acquittal decisions (referring to 13 persons) were ruled by the RA Criminal Court of Appeal; 5 decisions (referring to 7 persons) were ruled by the RA Court of Cassation.
Cognizance not to leave was chosen as precautionary measure against 89 or 56,7% of the acquitted. Custody was applied against 55 (35%) of the acquitted, 6 of which were set free on bail, in addition other measures of restraints were applied as well.
Gevorg Tosunyan
