The police tried to impede the attempt of the relatives of Levon Gulyan (mysteriously died in the police department on May 12) and the supporters of the Alternative Public Initiative, who tried to disseminate leaflets.
«Պանդոկ» ռեստորանի սեփականատեր ԼԵՎՈՆ ԳՈՒԼՅԱՆԻ ողբերգական մահը իրավապահների կողմից պաշտոնապես ներկայացվեց որպես փախուստի փորձին հաջորդած դժբախտ պատահար: Առողջ տրամաբանության հետ որևէ աղերս չունեցող այս եզրակացությունը, իրավապաշտպան կազմակերպությունների ու լրատվամիջոցների համոզմամբ, դաժան սպանության փաստը կոծկելու նպատակ ունի...
կարդալ հոդվածը (մաս առաջին)
Yerevan, June 8, 2007: Round table
Open letter by Human Rights Watch to the RA General Prosecutor - see on www.hrw.org
Read on www.armenianow.com
Police under spotlight as death of witness raises questions
Read Vahan Iskhanyan´s report on www.armenianow.com
And also:
Ongoing Investigation
Experts release preliminary report on Gulyan, refuse to meet media
Read the letter on www.a1plus.am
See report on www.armenialiberty.org
See report on www.a1plus.am
See the report on www.a1plus.am
ArmInfo News Agency
Read this report and related news on www.arminfo.info
Ruzanna Stepanian, Radio Liberty
Read the report on www.azatutyun.am
Read the report on www.armtown.com
See the russian original of Lana Mshetsyans comment on the website www.golos.am
Who will answer for his death?
Yesterday morning an anonymous person called “Golos Armenia” and informed that on May 12th about 4 pm, Levon Gulyan, born 1976, was thrown out of the window of the RA Ministry of Interior. Thrown out by a high-positioned police representative, who had savagely beaten him during the examination about the loud case of murder of a criminal authority S. Vardanyan. The murder took place in the evening of May 9 in Manandyan street, near “Bolero” sauna. S. Vardanyan was shot (most likely during a criminal fight) and taken to hospital already dead. The case, which is still in process is carried on by the Office of Public Prosecutor of Shengavit Community. To his misfortune. L. Gulyan, being the director of “Pandok” restaurant, which is situated in front of the above-mentioned “Bolero” sauna, was a witness of the case. As our anonymous interlocutor stated, the father of the murdered authority is a friend of the police representative who was so industriously trying to beat evidence out of L. Gulyan, that the latter didn’t return home from the police ...
At the second part of the information was confirmed – lawyers, representing the site of the deceased Artur Grigoryan, Rouben and Narine Rshtouni held a press-conference with the participation of L. Gulyan’s relatives, friends and co-workers. As it turned out, on May 10th at about 3 am (right after S. Vardanyan’s murder) L. Gulyan was brought to court in the territorial police department, where he was beaten and forced to give evidence at the murder case. More than 24 hours he was illegally kept in the police station and exerted pressure on. Then he was set free in connection with the parliamentary elections, after which Gulyan came to the police department of his own free will, from were he was dispatched to the Ministry for a “conversation”. The “conversation”, which was the last for Levon, passed without witnesses, According to the information from the Department of Public Relations of RA Police, L. Gulyan was invited to the General Department of Criminal Investigation to give some clarifications on the case of S. Vardanyan’s murder. Wishing to escape, he asked for some water and jumped out of the window. This version, in the opinion of Levon’s advocates and relatives is absolutely lacking logics – he came to the police station of his own free will. If he really threw himself out, he was made to do it by beatings and pressure. Besides, to escape from the police yard, blocked from all sides (Levon “jumped” from the window to the yard), is completely unreal.
“Pandok”’s barman Hayk Melqumyan told at the press conference, that was also called to the police station at May 10th at night, without any notice, by the way, was illegally kept there for about 2 days. He told, that he, as well as Levon, was savagely beaten and forced to give evidence. The policemen were sure that the employees and guests of the restaurant must have seen what happened in the street. Hayk was not given water and cigarettes, and was informed, that “very important” people are interested in the case. Often the name “Tamam” was sounded, and a warning that god forbid to appear in his hands. In the relatives’ opinion, that very “Tamam” (O. Tamamyan) – a superior of high standing in the system of Republic Criminal Investigation – is responsible for Levon’s death.
Waitress marine Grigoryan was called to the police station on by a telephone call. In her case, fortunately, there was no physical, but only moral pressure. Then, in Marine’s words, she was taken to the Republic Criminal Investigation Department to meet O. Tamamyan. But the meeting didn’t take place for unknown reasons. She stayed for a while in the corridor, noted a strange bustle, then she was allowed to go. About the same time Hayk was set free. As Levon’s relatives suppose, all this happened soon after the young man’s death who had been invited to the police. Yesterday a medical examination of Levon’s body took place. Advocates, who were present at the procedure, not wanting to disclose the secrecy of the preliminary investigation, don’t talk about details, but also do not hide that there were some fresh bruises on the body of the late. Levon’s wife Jemma Gulyan is sure that her husband was killed in the police and it is not an accident. “Who is to answer for his death?”, she asks.
“In any civilized country, under the given circumstances, when from the window of the police building, under some strange circumstances a man falls out and dies, the chief of the given department immediately resigns. But not in Armenia. We sign international documents, conventions, which do not work in practice, but are just left on the paper”, R. Rshtouni declared. Commenting on this outrageous case, he called upon the state authorities to do everything possible to stop the tyranny and despotism by the policemen. In his opinion, it’s practically impossible to establish order among those, who are considered to defend people, but, in fact, act the other way around, without interference and political will of the state authorities.