Chief of the Police Department of Hrazdan, Armenia, Colonel Avetis Stepanyan did not permit the photojournalist Gagik Shamshyan, the journalist of the Hraparak newspaper Gayane Arustamyan and Chairman of the Helsinki Association of Armenia Mikael Danielyan to enter the police department.

The Hrazdan resident Lusik Melkonyan turned to the journalists and human right activist for help. She told them that her 29-year-old son Malinov Ishkahn was taken to the Korayk regional police department on October 10 on suspicion of drug abuse. After keeping him there for two days, the policemen took him to the Hrazdan police department.

Gagik Shamshyan reported the following: “Lusik Melkonyan says her son was illegally kept in the police department for two days and beaten up. She said her son needed a lawyer, but the policemen answered he did not. Chairman of the Helsinki Association of Armenia Mikael Danielyan asked Colonel Stepanyan to allow Ishkhan’s meeting with his mother. He pointed out such a meeting was not against law. I, for my part, said rumors were spreading throughout the city that policemen were beating Ishkhan up. If it was not so, let the policemen allow a meeting with him.”

Colonel Stepanyan answer was: “I am calling and answering you now.” A few minutes later, probably after consulting his superiors, Stepanyan said he was acting in conformity with the law enforcement manual and did not allow a meeting. Ishkhan’s mother asked Stepanyan why the charge-sheet was dated October 12 if her son was detained on October 10. Stepanyan answered that Ishkhan was brought to the police department on October 12 and he was responsible from that date. Later Lusik Melkonyan told the journalists her son had undergone an expert examination and no drugs had been found in his organism.”

 

 

Photo and video by Gagik Shamshyan