On 21 April, the judicial investigation in the case of the former Commander of the Police Forces, former Deputy Chief of the Police, Lieutenant General Levon Yeranosyan continued in the Avan sitting of the Court of General Jurisdiction of the City of Yerevan, presided over by Judge Harutyun Manukyan.

According to the indictment, Levon Yeranosyan, using special measures, deliberately performed such actions that clearly went beyond the scope of his powers and caused significant damage to the rights and legal interests of citizens, as well as caused serious consequences through negligence.

Yeranosyan was charged with Points 2 and 3 of part 1 of article 309 of the Criminal Code of Armenia and the signature not to leave was chosen as a measure of restraint against him. The actions attributed to Yeranosyan took place during the mass protests of 16 April and 22 April, 2018. He does not accept the charge.

According to Iravaban.net, 2 of the 27 victims in the case were questioned during today’s court session.

According to the victim, Nelly Harutyunyan, on 22 April, she learned about the gathering on Republic Square and went there. On that day, the meeting between Nikol Pashinyan and the 3rd President Serzh Sargsyan was scheduled at the “Marriott” hotel. After the meeting, Nikol Pashinyan and the protesters marched along Tigran Mets Avenue to Artsakh Avenue, where they noticed the gathered police forces. According to the victim, the future prime minister approached the police to ask why they stopped the participants of the march. “Then the police tried to take Pashinyan away, at that moment people started to react with noise and shouts and was approaching the police wall. After about 10-15 minutes, the explosions started.”

In response to the questions of the prosecutor Armen Shahbazyan, Nelly Harutyunyan stated that people were trying to prevent the arrest of Nikol Pashinyan, during which the explosions were heard. She did not notice that someone tried to throw things at the police. She was also injured during the events. “I don’t remember, but after watching the video, I noticed that a policeman took me to the sidewalk after I was injured.”

After being injured and taken to the sidewalk by the police, she remained there until the protesters dispersed, and then received medical care at the “Medline” Clinic located near Artsakh street.

Levon Yeranosyan’s defender, Tigran Safaryan, while asking a question, stated that the victim participated in the demonstrations as an observer of the Helsinki Committee. He asked her how many explosions she heard, but Nelly Harutyunyan did not remember. The lawyer asked the victim to describe the events that took place on Baghramyan Avenue on 16 April. “Police troops stood a little below the Constitutional Court. When the people approached the police, at that moment a hustle began. People were irritated, they were trying to go to the National Assembly.”

She mentioned that there was a “Niva” car on the road, near which barbed wire was passed. At that time, Nelly Harutyunyan heard strange sounds and shouts, after which there was an explosion. She remembers that the first explosive fell on the policemen. She characterized both demonstrations as peaceful.

According to Nelly Harutyunyan, police officers in civilian clothes also participated in the demonstrations. “Since I often participate in demonstrations, I have seen it sometimes. On 16 April, there were policemen in civilian clothes on Baghramyan Avenue, but I did not see any fighting or throwing of things.”

Tigran Safaryan asked whether the published reports on the demonstrations had been publicized. The victim gave a positive answer. “The incident was described as a disproportionate use of force by the police.”

Nelly Harutyunyan noted that she did not see how people pushed “Niva” towards the police wall, but she saw that there was a person standing on top of the car. According to her, the police warned the protesters twice to disperse and leave the area, because the march is “unauthorized”. “A warning about the use of special measures was made, but in a low voice, which could not be heard by all the protesters. Due to the fact that I was an observer and had climbed up on the wall, I saw and heard it.”

She mentioned that she also witnessed Nikol Pashinyan’s attempt to overcome the barbed wire. People tried to help him, they threw clothes on the barbed wire, but it was unsuccessful because the police did not allow it. “A little after the explosion, Alen Simonyan approached me, probably seeing a familiar face, he leaned on me so that he wouldn’t fall and fainted. And I laid him down on the sidewalk.”

In response to the presiding judge Harutyun Manukyan’s questions, Nelly Harutyunyan stated that she did not see Levon Yeranosyan at the scene of the incident during the events on Artsakh Street, but she was standing on a high place on Baghramyan Avenue and had seen Yeranosyan. “They were standing with high-ranking officials.”

She also stated that she did not see who gave the order or who threw the explosive.

Then the victim Zorik Martirosyan was questioned in the court, he participated in the demonstrations on Baghramyan Avenue. “As all the nation stands, I, as a part of the nation, went to the demonstration with the nation.”

He mentioned that he remembers how, after the explosions, Sasun Mikayelyan was trying to pull a person out of the barbed wire, he went to help, someone stopped them and said that he needed help too. “He said, ‘Your leg is bleeding.’ There was a young boy, he said I understand this. He opened my leg, saw it, and said: This should be done in hospital. In the ambulance I felt, I’m sorry, a pain from an inconvenient place. It looked like a spiral fragment.”

Zorik Martirosyan in response to the questions of the prosecuting attorney Armen Shahbazyan stated that he always participated in demonstrations. According to him, he was injured after the 3rd or 4th explosion. I felt a strong shiver, my legs were weak, I stopped, hold on to the tree and the shivering stopped slowly.”

He said that he did not hear how the police warned the demonstrators about the intention to use special measures. Zorik Martirosyan also mentioned that there were police officers in civilian clothes among the demonstrators. The victim did not notice any incident of violence against the police. only pushing.”

Tigran Safaryan mentioned that during the examination of the evidence, the video recordings made during the incident were watched in  the court as well.  There are many episodes where violence is used against the policemen, various things are being thrown.”

According to Zorik Martirosyan, people tried to break through the barrier, they did not throw things. The representative of the victim, Aleksander Sirunyan, in his turn stated that there were clashes with the police, but there were no cases of police beating. “It is a provocative question.”

Levon Yeranosyan’s defense attorney claimed that such cases were recorded in the videos examined in court. “There is a place where a suffocating trick was used, stones were thrown.”

The victim also mentioned that the explosives came from the police.

After finishing the questioning of the 2nd victim, the judge announced that he heard only 4 of the 27 summoned victims. During today’s session, the court decided to consider the absence of the victims, who were properly notified but did not appear, disrespectful. “And that is a sufficient basis for arrest warrants to be made against them and sent to police units for execution.”

Alexander Sirunyan proposed to interrogate Levon Yeranosyan in the absence of the victims, but the defense did not accept the proposal.

The court session was postponed, the next session will be held on 12 May.

Yevgenya Hanbardzumyan