Sukhudyan demands reparation of moral damages
Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash districts today started hearing in the case of environmentalist Miriam Sukhudyan against the Armenian Police. Sukhudyan demands one million drams as reparation of moral damages.
According to the plaintiff, RA Police Chief Alik Sargsyan and Head of the Public Relations Department of the Armenian Police Sayat Shirinyan have breached the presumption of innocence.
Within a programme financed by the UN Yerevan Office, Mariam Sukhudyan worked with a group of volunteers in Nubarashen special school #11 where she reported incidences of neglect, violence and sexual abuse towards the children with mental disabilities. Following these scandal, on February 11, 2009, Mariam Sukhudyan was accused of defamation by the RA Police Erebuni Investigation department, risking up to 5 years of imprisonment. Later the preliminary inquiry into the case was forwarded to the Investigation Department of Yerevan City, which found the teacher of Nubarashen special school guilty of sexual abuse and sentenced him to three years in prison.
While the case was still under investigation, Alik Sargsyan announced in a press conference that Mariam Sukhudyan "presented unfounded accusations, slandered an innocent man and incited minors to the offense."
"No one has a right to declare the defendant a criminal unless the verdict brought against him is put into effect," Lawyer Liparit Simonyan told reporters on November 1 saying they want the court to register the violation of law.
The lawyer hopes the court will return a fair verdict though he cannot recall a single case in Armenia when the plaintiff received reparation of moral damages.
The next court sitting is due December 15.
