Police Cynicism

Yesterday the police announced completion of investigation of Vahe Avetyan’s murder who was violently beaten up in Harsnakar Restaurant. Investigation lasted for two months. This velocity is unprecedented.

Vahe Avetyan was beaten up by Ruben Hairapetyan’s bodyguards on June 17. Later on June 29, 12 days after the incident, he died in coma.

“We have evidence that there were other participants in the fight besides those 6 accused,” Arsen Ayvazyan of the General Investigation Department of the RA police, told the Armenian service of RFE/RL. “We have done a lot to identify those people but we have no results yet. Hence, the investigation is still underway.”

Shortly after the incident, military doctor Artak Bayadyan who had also been beaten up told Radio Liberty that 10-15 people had beaten them.

Later, the police detained only 6 people who are charged with infliction of willful bodily damage which is dangerous for life by a group of persons or infliction of willful bodily damage by an organized group if caused the death of the aggrieved by negligence.

Arsen Ayvazyan informed that the case on the six detainees has been separated from the main case since there is substantial evidence to charges brought against them. This means the investigation has nothing to add to what it has relating to these 6 people. The police representative also noted that according to the procedure the records of the case would be provided to the sides.

Yesterday evening, at about 22.00, one of the members of the investigative group handed the materials to the lawyers of Vahe Avetyan’s successor for them to get acquainted with the materials in one day, which is impossible and illogical. The case is composed of 1000 pages. Just to read these pages, the lawyers would need 9 hours, but they also need to study and prepare mediations. This is another example of the police cynicism not only towards Vahe Avetyan’s family but also the society.

Arsen Ayvazyan, loyal to the police practice, put a soft pillow under the heads of the lawyers saying they agreed with the prosecutor’s office on the reasonable terms for getting acquainted with the case.

The police have no time and are engaged in covering up the case and saving Ruben Hairapetyan. The police hurry to hinder the lawyers from making the unlawfulness of the investigation known to the public. The silence of the police and the empty statements on the legality that is missing means the scenario is to cover up the case.

The lawyers are going to motion for a month to study the records of the case.