On August 18, 2017, “Helsinki Association” and “Veles” human rights  NGOs organized a joint visit to Gyumri.

The “Helsinki Association” human rights defender NGO represents in Gyumri the interests of Ruzanna Adanalyan, the legal successor of murdered Artyom Adanalyan, represented by advocates Nina Karapetyants and Arayik Papikyan.

The “Veles” human rights NGO represents in Gyumri the interests of the citizens Torgom Torosyan, Mariam Boyajyan, Amalya Boyajyan, Volodya Kirakosyan, Gayane Kirakosyan, Hovhannes Kirakosyan and Seda Tumasyan, who claimed to be victims of usury by Melaka Sargsyan, a resident of Gyumri. Artur Sukiasyan, the advocate cooperating with “Veles” human rights  NGO, presented the interests of the latters in the court.

The joint visit of two non-governmental organizations aimed at making the process of advocacy of the beneficiaries of these two organizations more effective by joint efforts and at the same time at demonstrating the solidarity of the civil society and clear message to the Armenian law enforcement bodies that the civil society would always be actively participating in the prevention of their illegalities.

On August 18, 2017, at 12:30 p.m., the trial of Ruzanna Adanalyan was held, which was postponed for September 1 of the current year.

Following the court hearing, the representatives of the “Helsinki Association” and “Veles” human rights  NGOs met with the beneficiaries of the “Veles”, Torgom Torosyan, Mariam Boyajyan, Volodya Kirakosyan, and they also visited Amalia Boyajyan, who, in her 81’s, appeared in the danger of the eviction of the only shelter hers, and that was due to Melada Sargsyan.

They held discussions during the joint visit there, after which the heads of the “Helsinki Association” and “Veles” human rights  NGOs visited Shirak Prosecutor’s Office, met with Shirak Deputy Prosecutor Artyom Avetisyan, presented the problems of Kirakosyans, Boyajyans, Tumasyans and Torosyans trying to get precise responses on the following question, whether in case of such large-scale complaints, how it came to be that Melada Sargsyan remained unpunished and the criminal cases initiated against her were continually quashed.

During the conversation, Deputy Prosecutor Avetisyan also agreed that many citizens of Gyumri had been complaining about usury performed by Melada Sargsyan for years and they were well aware of the fact, but many of the precedent decisions of the RA Cassation Court discouraged the Prosecutor’s Office and the latter got deprived of the opportunity to punish Melada Sargsyan according to the law.