Source:

21.02.2002 - RFE/RL: A court in Armenia today gave a one-year suspended prison sentence to a bodyguard of President Robert Kocharian on a manslaughter charge ("21.02.2002 - RFE/RL: President's Bodyguard Convicted Of Manslaughter") [ID 3397]

"A court in Armenia today gave a one-year suspended prison sentence to a bodyguard of President Robert Kocharian on a manslaughter charge.

The bodyguard, Aghamal Harutiunian, was convicted of a "negligent homicide" of an ethnic Armenian man from Georgia last September. The man, Poghos Poghosian, was found dead in the bathroom of a popular Yerevan cafe shortly after Kocharian left its premises with his entourage.

Poghosian is said to have greeted the president in a way his bodyguards found too familiar. Some witnesses said the man was assaulted by several men who looked like security agents. But the court today endorsed the state prosecutors' theory that Poghosian died accidentally in a one-on-one fist fight with Harutiunian.

Local and international human rights groups have strongly condemned the Armenian authorities' handling of the case. The New York-based Human Rights Watch issued a statement in December accusing Kocharian of reneging on his pledge to bring to justice all perpetrators of the crime."

Document(s): 21.02.2002 - RFE/RL: President's Bodyguard Convicted Of Manslaughter

24.07.2008 - Source: Armenialiberty

Human rights ombudsman receives growing complaints from citizens claiming to have been intimidated and mistreated by law-enforcement agencies to give false incriminating testimony against arrested opposition members ("Armenian Ombudsman Concerned About ‘Witness Torture’") [ID 24401]

Document(s): Open document

06.06.2008 - Source: Armenialiberty

Court ordered state prosecutors to restart criminal investigation into death of young man detained and interrogated by police in 2007 ("Prosecutors Told To Reopen Probe Of Police Custody Death") [ID 23872]

Document(s): Open document

18.03.2008 - Source: Armenialiberty

Description of police brutality by a supporter of former president Ter-Petrosian; the man was arrested on 1 March 2008 in Yerevan; allegations of torture against the police ("‘There Was Blood All Over Police Station’") [ID 24052]

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Most instances of abuse of prisoners and detainees by law enforcement authorities occurred in police offices ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22950]

"According to observers, most instances of abuse of prisoners and detainees by law enforcement authorities occurred in police offices, rather than in police detention facilities which are subject to human rights monitoring. In its November 2006 report, the CPT noted allegations that detainees had spent up to 10 days in various police district divisions in Yerevan without mattresses, blankets, and food other than that supplied by relatives. In its December report, the CPT said it observed an improvement in police holding areas that had been refurbished, or were in the process of refurbishment in 2006. Mattresses, blankets, and food were supplied to detainees at the facilities that CPT observed. The CPT reported deficiencies, however, in the Vanadzor, Sisian, and Yeghegnadzor police departments, namely small cell space, cold temperatures, and lack of hot water."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Impunity remained a serious problem in the police force ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23009]

"The national police are responsible for internal security, while the NSS is responsible for national security, intelligence activities, and border control; both organizations report directly to the prime minister. The police and the NSS continued to lack training, resources, and established procedures to implement reforms or to prevent incidents of abuse. Prisoners reported that police and NSS authorities did little to investigate allegations of abuse. As a result, impunity remained a serious problem."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Corruption remained a significant problem in the police force ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23010]

"Corruption remained a significant problem in the police force and security services, but reform efforts continued, mainly in the area of traffic control and criminal investigations. The police continued to implement procedures established in November 2006 to curb corruption at roadside checkpoints. The government also established a new system of paying traffic fines to reduce opportunities for bribes, and the frequency of bribe-taking appeared to decrease during the year."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

No dedicated mechanism for investigating police abuse ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23011]

"There was no dedicated mechanism for investigating police abuse. By law citizens may sue police in court. The government reported that during the year citizens lodged four complaints against police for mistreatment of detainees. The police opened internal investigations into these complaints; the status of the investigations was unclear at year's end. The prosecutor's office launched one criminal case into an instance of mistreatment of detainees, which was ongoing at year's end.
The government reported that police conducted 16 internal investigations into misconduct by on-duty police officers during the year. Based on these investigations the government reported that during the year 23 police officers received administrative penalties (compared to 20 in 2006) including removal of 21 officers from the police service. The prosecutor's office opened 13 criminal cases based on the internal investigations which resulted in nine convictions. Four cases were ongoing at year's end.
By law detainees may file complaints prior to trial to address alleged abuses committed by authorities during criminal investigations; however, detainees must obtain permission from police or the prosecutor's office to obtain a forensic medical examination needed to substantiate a report of physical abuse. Human rights NGOs reported that authorities rarely granted such permission."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Police sometimes restricted the access of family members and lawyers to detainees ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23013]

"The law also requires police to inform detainees of their right to remain silent, to make a phone call, and to be represented by an attorney from the moment of arrest and before indictment (including state-provided lawyers for indigent detainees). In practice police did not always abide by the law. They often questioned and pressured detainees to confess prior to indictment and in the absence of counsel. Police sometimes restricted the access of family members and lawyers to detainees."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Police assaulted journalists during the year ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23125]

"Police assaulted journalists during the year. On May 9, while dispersing a preelection rally organized by the Impeachment Bloc, a grouping of several opposition parties, police officers assaulted two reporters, Tsovinar Nazarian from Hayastani Hanrapetutiun, and Gagik Shamshian, a freelance journalist who worked for opposition papers. Police attempted to confiscate Shamshian's camera but were prevented from doing so by rally participants. The police used tear gas on Nazarian as she attempted to film the police activities.
On October 25, Gohar Veziryan, a female journalist from Chorrord Ishkhanutyun was reportedly hospitalized with a concussion suffered during the break-up of a march on October 23, where police had used tear gas and batons."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Police dispersed opposition rallies ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23132]

"On May 9, the police forcibly dispersed an unsanctioned opposition rally in front of the NSS building; eyewitnesses said riot police used batons and tear gas. Several eyewitnesses from among the opposition reported that the police use of violence was brief, and that more senior police officers moved quickly to negotiate a peaceful resolution with opposition leaders.
On October 23, riot police dispersed an opposition march using force and tear gas, detaining 12 activists as they were announcing through loudspeakers the date of an opposition rally in support of Levon Ter-Petrosyan."

Document(s): Open document

08.2007 - Source: Country of Return Information Project

Police misconduct was commonplace during operations to disperse opposition rallies ("Country Sheet; Armenia") [ID 21423]

"Indications in 2004 of a decrease in the use of torture and ill-treatment in penitentiaries proved to be overly optimistic as new cases were discovered in the Nubarashen penitentiary in 2005. Police misconduct was also commonplace during operations to disperse opposition rallies: police used excessive force and brutally beat demonstrators, arrested them in a manner that amounted to kidnapping and held them at police stations for questioning without legitimate grounds."

Document(s): Open document

31.07.2007 - Source: Armenialiberty

Armenians are far more scared of dealing with police than falling victim to crime because of endemic police brutality, according to former longtime Justice Minister David Harutiunian ("Armenians ‘Too Scared To Trust Police’") [ID 21062]

Document(s): Open document

06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

Judicial branch is subject to political pressure from the executive branch; police abuse ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20479]

"The judicial branch is subject to political pressure from the executive branch and suffers from considerable corruption. In 2006, Justice Minister David Harutiunian outlined an ambitious proposal to enhance the independence of the judiciary and the country’s law enforcement sector, although these reforms had not been advanced by the end of 2006. Police make arbitrary arrests without warrants, beat detainees during arrest and interrogation, and use torture to extract confessions. Cases of abuse go unreported out of fear of retribution. Prison conditions in Armenia are poor, and threats to prisoner health are frequent."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Continuing reports of numerous cases of police beating citizens during arrest and during interrogation ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20104]

"Witnesses continued to report numerous cases of police beating citizens during arrest and during interrogation while in detention. Human rights nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported similar allegations; however, most cases of police mistreatment went unreported because of fear of retribution."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Investigations into misconduct by off-duty police officers during the year ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20106]

"The government reported that police conducted five internal investigations into misconduct by off-duty police officers during the year. Two officers were subjected to disciplinary action, and criminal cases were opened against the remaining three, all of whom were fired. The government reported that during the year 20 police officers received administrative fines (compared to 49 in 2005) for their roles in cases involving police mistreatment of detainees. Prosecutors also opened 11 criminal cases against some of the police officers involved; the disposition of those cases was unclear at the end of the year."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Detainees must obtain permission from police or the prosecutor's office in order to obtain a forensic medical examination needed to substantiate a report of physical abuse ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20110]

"By law detainees may file complaints prior to trial to address alleged abuses committed by authorities during criminal investigations; however, detainees must obtain permission from police or the prosecutor's office in order to obtain a forensic medical examination needed to substantiate a report of physical abuse. Human rights NGOs reported that authorities rarely granted such permission (see section 1.e.). There were no prosecutions or convictions of police for torture or other mistreatment during the year. Police conducted 18 internal investigations of complaints of brutality by their officers, but information on the outcome of these investigations was not available at year's end."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

The national police and the National Security Service (NSS) lacked established procedures to implement reforms or to prevent incidents of abuse ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20178]

"The national police and the National Security Service (NSS) are responsible for domestic security, intelligence activities, and border control; they report directly to the prime minister. Both services lacked the training, resources, and established procedures to implement reforms or to prevent incidents of abuse. Prisoners reported that police and NSS authorities did little to investigate allegations of abuse. As a result, impunity was a serious problem."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Efforts to modernize and reform police and security forces had mostly to do with infrastructure ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20179]

"In contrast to 2005, the government made some efforts to modernize and reform police and security forces, although the changes had mostly to do with infrastructure. On August 25, police opened a community justice center in Vanadzor with help from the local affiliate of the international NGO, Project Harmony. The center offered counseling to first‑time juvenile offenders and brought local police into public schools for community outreach. On October 30, a new community policing project designed to facilitate cooperation between police and civilians was initiated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) at the Arabkir district police department in Yerevan."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Corruption remained a significant problem in the police force and security service ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20180]

"Corruption remained a significant problem in the police force and security service. Police officers routinely stopped motorists at roadside checkpoints to extort illegal "fees." Motorists reported that traffic police generally demanded approximately $2.80 (1000 drams) to pass a checkpoint. Investigative journalists alleged that police inspectors and superiors received a portion of the proceeds from each traffic stop. As a result, there were no incentives to curb the practice and no efforts by the government during the year to do so."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

There was no dedicated mechanism for investigating police abuse ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20182]

"There was no dedicated mechanism for investigating police abuse. By law citizens may sue police in court as they would sue any person against whom they had an adjudicable complaint. The government reported that during the year citizens lodged 69 civil complaints against police in court. Judges decided 26 of those cases in favor of the citizens and dismissed the remaining 43."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Police often questioned and pressured detainees to confess prior to indictment and in the absence of counsel ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20185]

"The law also requires police to inform detainees of their right to remain silent, to make a phone call, and to be represented by an attorney from the moment of arrest and before indictment (including state‑provided lawyers for indigent detainees). In practice police did not always abide by the law. They often questioned and pressured detainees to confess prior to indictment and in the absence of counsel. Since witnesses do not have the right to legal counsel or prompt judicial determination, police used this loophole to interrogate suspects in the absence of counsel and to detain them beyond the three‑day limit for indicting suspects. Police sometimes restricted family members' access to detainees."

Document(s): Open document

07.2006 - Source: Freedom House

Police and other security forces seem to operate in atmosphere of impunity; no officer known to have been prosecuted for torture or ill-treatment from 2003 to 2004 ("Countries at the Crossroads 2006") [ID 17913]

"Human Rights Watch likewise noted in its 2005 World Report that "Torture and ill-treatment in police custody remain widespread in Armenia." The illegal practice has continued unabated due to the atmosphere of impunity in which the Armenian police and other security agencies operate. No officer is known to have been prosecuted for such abuses in 2003-04. Furthermore, the Armenian government challenged the CPT's conclusion, saying that "the facts indicated in the report were not concrete.""

Document(s): Open document

07.2006 - Source: Freedom House

Documented case of police violence against detainee; authorities refused to investigate ("Countries at the Crossroads 2006") [ID 17914]

"In April 2004, an opposition activist in the southern town of Artashat, Grisha Virabian, had to undergo urgent surgery after enduring a reportedly brutal interrogation at a local police station. The authorities refused to investigate his harrowing account of torture. Furthermore, Virabian himself was nearly prosecuted for resisting one of his police interrogators."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Numerous cases of police brutality reported ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 15685]

"c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

The law prohibits such practices, although government security forces employed them. Witnesses continued to report numerous cases of police beating citizens during arrest and interrogation while in detention. Most cases of police brutality went unreported because of fear of retribution. Human rights nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) also reported claims that police beat detainees during pretrial detention. "

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Administrative fines and criminal charges for police officers ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 15694]

"The government reported that 49 police officers received administrative fines and two others faced criminal charges for their roles in 35 cases involving police brutality."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Police reportedly beat opposition supporters in November 2005 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 15698]

"In November police reportedly beat opposition supporters detained briefly following the marred constitutional referendum [...]."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Role of the police and security apparatus ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 15701]

"The national police and the national security service (NSS) are responsible for domestic security, intelligence activities, and border control, and report directly to the prime minister. Both services lacked the training, resources, and established procedures to implement reforms or to prevent incidents of abuse. Prisoners reported that police and NSS authorities did little to investigate allegations of abuse. As a result, impunity was a serious problem. NGOs and international human rights groups reported detainee abuse was widespread, and there were no efforts underway to modernize or reform police or security forces. Corruption also remained a significant problem in the police force and security service. National police officers routinely stopped motorists at roadside checkpoints to extort unofficial fees. Motorists reported that traffic police generally "charged" approximately $2 (1000 AMD) for passage beyond checkpoints. Motorists who refused to pay were threatened with hefty official fines, license and registration revocation, and additional police harassment. Investigative journalists alleged that police inspectors and superiors received a portion of the proceeds from each traffic stop. As a result, there were no incentives and no efforts underway to curb the practice."

Document(s): Open document

25.05.2005 - Source: Amnesty International

Excessive police brutality against opposition demonstrators ("Annual Report 2005") [#32286],  [ID 3386]

"Scores of people were injured and detained when special police units used water cannons and stun grenades to break up a peaceful opposition demonstration in the capital, Yerevan, on 13 April. Four journalists covering the demonstration were reportedly severely beaten by police. Dozens more opposition activists and supporters, including women, were reportedly ill-treated during armed police raids on the head offices of the main opposition parties that same night. According to reports most of these activists were detained in police cells for up to 48 hours. According to human rights groups and opposition parties, those detained at the demonstration and at party offices continued to be beaten and ill-treated at police stations."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Discrimination of homosexuals by police ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 3387]

"Military officers targeted homosexuals for hazing. The Helsinki Association reported cases of police harassment of homosexuals through blackmail, extortion, and, on occasion, violence.

Unofficial reports suggested that during a routine police investigation, police threatened to make one homosexual's sexual orientation public. The man later alleged that police revealed his homosexuality to his employer, and, shortly thereafter, he quit his job."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Reports of torture by police during arrest, interrogation and during detention ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 3388]

"The Constitution prohibits such practices; however, government security forces employed them. Witnesses reported numerous cases of police beating citizens during arrest and interrogation while in detention. Most cases of police brutality went unreported because of fear of police retribution. Police used excessive force to disperse protestors after an 8-hour political rally on April 12 and 13; some journalists were among those beaten (see Sections 2.a. and 2.b.). Human rights nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) also reported claims by detainees that police beat them during pretrial detention."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Numerous cases of police beating citizens during arrest and interrogation while in detention ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 3389]

"Witnesses reported numerous cases of police beating citizens during arrest and interrogation while in detention. Most cases of police brutality went unreported because of fear of police retribution. Police used excessive force to disperse protestors after an 8-hour political rally on April 12 and 13; some journalists were among those beaten (see Sections 2.a. and 2.b.). Human rights nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) also reported claims by detainees that police beat them during pretrial detention."

Document(s): Open document

04.05.2004 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Several cases of torture and ill-treatment in police custody during government crackdown against opposition in April 2004 ("Cycle of repression: Human rights violations in Armenia") [#21895],  [ID 3390]

"Human Rights Watch documented several cases of torture and ill-treatment in police custody during the government crackdown against the opposition in April 2004. Opposition party officials claim that during this period police regularly beat their supporters in police custody: “There were lots of cases of people being beaten at the police stations after detention, especially those who came from the regions.”75 Armenia is obligated under international law to prevent acts of torture.76

On the night of April 12-13, Oride Harustanian was detained with a group of women, including her nineteen-year-old daughter, at the Republic Party headquarters. Police took them to the Erebuni police station in Yerevan where the police shouted and swore at them. They were placed in a room. Harustanian told Human Rights Watch, “Then the head of the Erebuni police came in. He came up to me and said ‘So you want to take power,’ and slapped me three times very hard on the face.”77 He then went to each person in turn and assaulted them, kicking and kneeing them, and punching one woman in the head. Several of the group had serious bruising to the legs after the attack. Police did not provide food to the group on the day of April 13. Members of the group were held for up to thirty-six hours, and were then released, some receiving administrative fines, others receiving no explanation as to the reason for having been detained.78

Police also detained a young woman on the night of April 12-13.79 She was taken to a local police station in Yerevan with a group of opposition party activists. Police separated her from the group and put her in a room in the police station. There were four or five uniformed police in the room. She told Human Rights Watch:

Then someone came in, a high level police officer. All the other police stood up for him when he came in. I also stood up and he began to beat me, kicking my body, hitting my face and swearing terribly. I was so scared that I wet myself. He beat me for about ten or fifteen minutes… I cried the whole time. I couldn’t speak… Then I heard loud voices in the corridor, shouting and swearing… It was the head of the [police station]. He came in and said ‘Ah, it was you who was at the protest.’ I said ‘no, it wasn’t me.’ He began to beat me with his fists and knees to my stomach. I fell and he kicked me on my back. He said, ‘now all our men will come in and rape you.’ He said worse things… He went on four about twenty minutes. I don’t remember everything. I remember coming to lying on the table. Then he left. I was on the floor.80

She was released from custody after eighteen hours in detention. She received no explanation for her arrest. According to the young woman and a relative who cared for her after her release, she had bruising all over her body, and was suffering from severe stomach pains."

Document(s): Open document

06.04.2004 - Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

Yerevan: journalists covering opposition rally attacked by two dozen men, cameras of TV stations smashed, police stays passive ("Armenia: Journalists attacked at an opposition rally") [#21106],  [ID 3391]

Document(s): Open document

27.06.2003 - Source: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Traing programme to enable Armenian police to more efficiently combat domestic violence conducted ("OSCE trains Armenian police on countering domestic violence") [#13835],  [ID 3392]

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

Most cases of police brutality went unreported because of fear of police retribution ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11840],  [ID 3393]

"Most cases of police brutality went unreported because of fear of police retribution. During the year, a few cases of police brutality were reported after the intervention of local human rights groups. The Helsinki Association received two complaints from citizens about beatings at the police precincts of Kanaker-Zeytun district of Yerevan and at the Department of Internal Affairs of the city of Yerevan. Impunity of officials who commit such abuses remained a problem."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

The Government did not investigate allegations of abuse by security services except in rare cases under pressure from human rights groups and only where death had resulted ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11840],  [ID 3394]

"The Government did not investigate allegations of abuse by security services except in rare cases under pressure from human rights groups and only where death had resulted. In July 2001, the Human Rights Commission held open hearings on more than 50 complaints of torture by the Military Prosecutor's Office, which led to the filing of only one case during the year. Most complaints involved inhumane treatment, torture, and beatings of service men at the so-called reception and deployment stations (detention facilities of the military police). The next week, the Commission held another round of hearings together with the Military Prosecutor Gagik Jhangirian and Chief of the Military Police Vladimir Gasparian. Both Jhangirian and Gasparian denied the claims of torture. Subsequently family members of those killed staged a protest outside of the office, demanding Jhangirian's resignation. During the year, the Procuracy investigated 18 cases of torture sent by the Human Right Commission; some of these had been already sent to court for prosecution of the accused torturers.
During the year, the Ministry of Defense cited reasons of "national security" in declining to provide local NGOs with exact details on some cases, citing the fact that the country remained technically in a state of war with Azerbaijan."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

Most cases of police brutality went unreported because of fear of police retribution ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11840],  [ID 3395]

"Most cases of police brutality went unreported because of fear of police retribution. During the year, a few cases of police brutality were reported after the intervention of local human rights groups. The Helsinki Association received two complaints from citizens about beatings at the police precincts of Kanaker-Zeytun district of Yerevan and at the Department of Internal Affairs of the city of Yerevan. Impunity of officials who commit such abuses remained a problem."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

The Government did not investigate allegations of abuse by security services except in rare cases under pressure from human rights groups and only where death had resulted ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11840],  [ID 3396]

"The Government did not investigate allegations of abuse by security services except in rare cases under pressure from human rights groups and only where death had resulted. In July 2001, the Human Rights Commission held open hearings on more than 50 complaints of torture by the Military Prosecutor's Office, which led to the filing of only one case during the year. Most complaints involved inhumane treatment, torture, and beatings of service men at the so-called reception and deployment stations (detention facilities of the military police). The next week, the Commission held another round of hearings together with the Military Prosecutor Gagik Jhangirian and Chief of the Military Police Vladimir Gasparian. Both Jhangirian and Gasparian denied the claims of torture. Subsequently family members of those killed staged a protest outside of the office, demanding Jhangirian's resignation. During the year, the Procuracy investigated 18 cases of torture sent by the Human Right Commission; some of these had been already sent to court for prosecution of the accused torturers. During the year, the Ministry of Defense cited reasons of "national security" in declining to provide local NGOs with exact details on some cases, citing the fact that the country remained technically in a state of war with Azerbaijan."

Document(s): Open document

28.11.2002 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Bribery by members of the traffic police ("8th European Country of Origin Information Seminar Vienna, 28 - 29 June 2002: Final Report - Armenia - co-funded by the EU Odysseus Programme") [#9877],  [ID 3398]

"As already mentioned, corruption is widespread in Armenia and an integrative part of the relations between the general population and the authorities. For instance, if you drive down the streets of Yerevan, every 200 meters there is a police man standing, flagging you down and asking for money - and you simply pay. It is reported that the policemen often ”buy” assignments to serve as traffic police since this is considered a lucrative post. Many believe that there is a general tendency of collusion between law enforcement and the underworld. Many politicians run a profitable business and are quite wealthy, and could be linked to the underworld. However, while connections between police, politicians and organised crime certainly exist, it is very difficult to generalise and contend that the police do not intervene in any cases related to persecution by the Mafia. Nevertheless, when considering related asylum claims, arguing that the concerned individuals should have sought the protection of domestic authorities before going abroad, it should be borne in mind that in Armenia there is a general lack of trust in the law enforcement, be it Mafia-related or not."

Document(s): Arm-cois2002-rep.pdf