Hovhannes Madoyan, founder of Real World, Real People, and the chair of Human Rights House Yerevan discusses the case of Marina Poghosyan, a human rights defender working against corruption facing charges of extortion in Armenia. Human rights organisations have linked the trial to her organisation’s work in uncovering illegal activities involving officials in the country.
“On Wednesday, January the 18th, Yerevan’s Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun district court will hear a fabricated case against human rights activist Marina Poghosyan. For years, the prosecutor’s office has been using malicious prosecution to put pressure on the Veles human rights NGO and its head Marina Poghosyan, and yet another fake case has now been taken to court,” Veles, a Yerevan-based non-profit fighting against usury, said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Over the years, the statement reads, Veles has managed to uncover numerous money laundering cases involving current and former high-ranking officials of the prosecutor’s office and other judiciary agencies. In light of their personal interests, these officials are now illegally using their levers in the law enforcement and the judicial system in order to pressure and intimidate Veles leader Marina Poghosyan, to prevent her human rights advocacy and the disclosure of the true facts and those responsible.
The organization urges media representatives to be present at the hearing and cover the process, in order to contribute to the transparency and objectivity of the investigation.
Earlier, dozens of local organizations and individuals expressed their support for Veles, calling on all international human rights and anti-corruption structures to closely monitor the criminal prosecution against Marina Poghosyan and take appropriate action.
Armenia’s Helsinki Association for Human Rights, which has been following the case for months, also believes that the charges brought against Poghosyan are false.
Board meeting. Very cold weather but heated discussions, preparing for tomorrow’s trial case of Marina Poghosyan who is persecuted for her work on corruption by authorities through legal prosecution. Tomorrow at 2:30, the first court hearing will take place, more info soon.
On December 19, 2016, US embassy political officer Ms. Somer Bessire-Briers met with representatives of the the Human Rights House Yerevan office and human rights defender Marina Poghosyan from Veles NGO. The meeting participants discussed the recent joint statement made by the Human Rights House Yerevan Members in support of Marina Poghosyan, condemning the threats and persecution towards her. During the meeting Ms. Poghosyan presented the details of the criminal case launched against her. Human Rights House Yerevan representatives expressed their concern about this case, which according to them was motivated by the activities of Ms. Poghosyan and Veles NGO to expose cases of corruption. Human Right House Yerevan members also shared their concerns about the chilling effect such persecution would have on other human rights defenders and those people who appeal to them for the protection of their rights.
Human Rights House Yerevan unites 8 organizations working in various fields related to human rights protection aiming to create “one access door” services for the beneficiaries and by this eliminate the difficulties that citizens may face for getting support and services for their human rights protection. The House was registered in Armenia in 2014 and became an associated member of the Human Rights House Network in 2012.
Statement in Support of Marina Poghosyan
On November 24, 11:00, “Veles” human rights NGO organized an action of protest in front of the government building in involvement with citizens suffered from usury and fraud.
Խնդրում ենք, որ այս մարդուն վերցնեն աչքի տակ և չհովանավորեն մեր դատավորները. ցուցարար (տեսանյութ)
On March 17, 2014, some officers of the Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service in the centre of Yerevan used violence against the 75-year-old woman and Marina Poghosyan, the president of “Veles” NGO. A criminal case was initiated in the Special Investigative Service, which was later quashed.
Marina Poghosyan arrived at the crime scene after she had received an alarm call from the Melikyan family. The human rights defender attempted to prevent the illegalities by the JACES officers, in the result of which she became the target of violence – she was hugged and in that manner was expelled from the place and thrown on the concrete stairs, in the result of which Marina Poghosyan was injured.
The president of “Veles” NGO filed an appeal against the decision on quashing the case in the Court of General Jurisdiction of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun. The court rejected the appeal. Poghosyan filed the appeal to the Court of Appeals. The latter left in force the decision of the Court of General Jurisdiction.
Poghosyan tried to defend her rights in the Court of Cassation. She also appealed to the Administrative Court requesting in it to consider the actions of the JACES officers as unlawful.
Using all the in-state court instances, Marina Poghosyan filed a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights.
12.01.2018 The case (number 12381/16) of Marina Poghosyan, the President of the “Veles” NGO submitted to the European Court of Human Rights by the “Protection of Rights without Borders” NGO (lawyer Haykuhi Harutyunyan) has been communicated.
«Ես չեմ ուզում, որ իմ նկարը «լայքեն»». ոստիկանության ներկայացուցիչ
Դատավոր Ռաֆիկ Խանդանյանը նույնպես դեմ է «լայքերին». Նրան ինքնաբացարկ հայտնեցին
«Դատավորները օրենքով պաշտպանված հանցագործներ են». ՀԿ նախագահ
«Թող ապացուցեն, որ տարբերվում են Ադրբեջանից»
Հայտարարություն. նախկին դատախազ Լեւոն Ավետիսյանն այդպես էլ դատավոր չդարձավ
Արդարադատությունը կսպասի… դատավորը «վռազ էր»
Իրավապաշտպանին «նուրբ գրկած» հարկադիր կատարողները չեն պատժվի
Բռնության մասին իրավապաշտպանի բողոքը մերժվել է․ դատարանը համաձայն է, որ նրան «նուրբ գրկել են»
Սեռական ոտնձգություն կին իրավապաշտպանի նկատմամբ
Թե ինչպես են հարկադիր կատարողները «գրկած դուրս հանել կանանց»
Վելես իրավապաշտպան հասարակական կազմակերպության բաց նամակը ՀՀ գլխավոր դատախազին
76-ամյա կնոջ և իրավապաշտպանի նկատմամբ բռնության առթիվ գործ չի հարուցվել․ բաց նամակ
իրավապաշտպանին նետել են բետոնե աստիճանների վրա
բռնություն գործադրած ԴԱՀԿ աշխատակիցները մնացին անպատիժ
Հարկադիր կատարողները վաշխառուների բարձր հովանու ներքո, մի ամբողջ ընտանիք թողեցին բաց երկնքի տակ
Վաշխառության եվս մեկ զո՞հ. հարկադիր կատարողները գործում են քաղաքացու դիմումի հիման վրա
As reported before, Marina Poghosyan, Chairperson of ‘Veles’ human rights NGO, presented an incident of Russian money-laundering in Armenia. The press conference held at ‘Media Center’ was also attended by Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor. “The Prosecutor General’s Office and the investigative service of the Republic of Armenia do not act first of all in the state interests of the Republic of Armenia and do not protect the public property; they do not perform their functions as prescribed by the Republic of Armenia to prevent money laundering. Furthermore, by their inaction and deliberate slowness they cause the Republic of Armenia territory to become a criminal money realization and laundering area”, the human rights activist said. According to Artur Sakunts, the incident presented by Marina Poghosyan is only an episode: “This gives us reason to think that this scheme works in a variety of areas, as evidenced by the recent offshore scandal caused by the Panamanian papers with involvement of the Head of Compulsory Enforcement Service. Instead of carrying out a thorough investigation into the crime, the law enforcement officers start absolutely groundless prosecution against the person who signaled about the crime. It’s about big sums of money; it’s a mechanism, which as we could see, operates with involvement, participation and criminal inaction of many other state agencies.” According to the human rights activist, the only victim in this case is businessman Dmitri Afonin: “Perhaps, they saw that their initial transfers did not meet the arrangement or they were dissatisfied and thought that they might involve another person to invest money in construction of apartments. These persons did not act with Victor Ter-Hovsepyan by accident; they live in the same street in Moscow.”
Ամբողջական հոդվածը կարող եք կարդալ այստեղ՝ http://hcav.am/en/events/12-10-2016-01/ © 1998-2016 Հելսինկյան Քաղաքացիական Ասամբլեայի Վանաձորի գրասենյակ
video by © HELSINKI ASSOCIATION
ARMENIA 2015 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
During the year human rights organizations and the media reported on the continued harassment of and threats against human rights defender Marina Poghosyan. Poghosyan’s NGO, Veles, provided legal support to victims of moneylenders allegedly linked to the government. On October 5, Human Rights House Yerevan, a union of 11 human rights NGOs, released a statement asserting Poghosyan and her organization had been under pressure since Veles’ creation in 2014. In May 2014 a criminal investigation on charges of extortion was launched against Poghosyan, based on a statement by former government official Hovhannes Yeritsyan, who allegedly was involved in the moneylending. Although authorities dropped their investigation of Poghosyan, the RAIC also dropped Poghosyan’s case against Yeritsyan for filing false charges. On July 29, a trial court upheld an appeal by Poghosyan, ruling that the RAIC had to reopen the case since it had failed to conduct a thorough and objective examination. That same day, however, the committee informed Poghosyan she was under investigation for fraud. Poghosyan also reportedly received numerous threats from the RAIC. On August 9, unknown assailants tried to set fire to electrical cables at her office. On August 11, police reportedly confiscated her car on unknown grounds.
The full text of the report is available here
On 2 April 2016 Azerbaijani authorities breached the Ceasefire Agreement of 1994 and the most serious military actions in the line of contact between Azerbaijan and Nagorno- Karabakh for the last 20 years commenced. The military action violates not only obligations taken by Azerbaijan on principle of good faith negotiations in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and but also constitutes violation of a set of principles of international law enshrined in the UN Charter, 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States, 1975 Helsinki Final Act and other international documents. In course of the military activities lasted several days, numerous acts amounting to war crimes have been committed against Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Army and civilian population.
The most heinous examples include indiscriminate attacks against civilians, shelling of bordering villages and towns, acts of torture towards combatants not taking part in hostilities and towards civilians, including beheadings, body parts amputations and other acts of hostility, brutality and humiliation. Particularly, on 02 April 2016 a 12-year-old child was killed and the two more children in Martuni town after a deadly MM-21 Grad multiple rockets were launched by Azerbaijani forces against civilians. Further, on the same day, after temporal overturn of Talish village by Azerbaijani armed forces, elderly couple Valera and Razmela Khalapyans were shot in their home and were tortured with their ears being cut off.
Azerbaijani soldiers also executed Valera Khalapyan’s 92-year-old mother Marousya Khalapyan. All the killed persons were aged and reasonably infirm. Moreover, a soldier of Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Army was beheaded by Azerbaijani troops and photos were taken with the head in the hands of the Azerbaijani soldiers as a trophy. Clearly, such acts amount to flagrant violations of international humanitarian law amounting to war crimes under international criminal law and must be condemned without delay by the international community at large.
These include grave breaches of 1949 Geneva Conventions ratified by Azerbaijan and other serious violations of laws and customs of war such as willful killing, torture or inhuman treatment of civilian population and prisoners of war (Article 130 of III GC and Article 147 of IV GC), as well as prohibition of indiscriminate attacks against the civilian population or civilian objects (Article 51 of AP I).
We, human rights defenders of the Republic of Armenia, call upon the international community, particularly the United Nations Organization, the Council of Europe and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe 1) to explicitly condemn the atrocities committed by Azerbaijani armed forces, 2) to urge the Government of Azerbaijan to ensure proper investigation of crimes committed against Nagorno-Karabakh civilians and prisoners of war, 3) to take appropriate measures to prevent further acts of war crimes against the peaceful civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, and 4) to take appropriate measures to insure human treatment of prisoners of war and missing persons.
“Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor” NGO
“Helsinki Committee of Armenia” NGO
“Foundation against the Violation of Law” NGO
“Journalists’ Club “Asbarez” NGO
“Journalists for Human Rights” NGO
“Peace Dialogue” NGO
“Protection of Rights without Borders” NGO
“Public Information and Need for Knowledge” NGO
“Real World Real People” NGO
“Rule of Law” NGO
“Veles Human Rights” NGO
“Women’s Resource Center” NGO, Armenia
“Gambir” NGO
Araks Melkonyan, LL.M. in International Human Rights Law, University of Essex
Anahit Simonyan, M.A. in Theory and Practice of Human Rights, University of Essex
Hasmik Harutyunyan, M.A. in Human Rights and Democratization, Center for European Studies
Ani Aghagyulyan, Ph.D. Candidate, Yerevan State University
Anna Maralyan, LL.M. in International Human Rights Law, University of Essex
Zaruhi Harutyunyan, M.A. in Human Rights and Democratization, Center for European Studies
The president of the “Veles” human rights defender organization, Marina Poghosyan, submitted a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights against the Republic of Armenia. The complaint concerns the case of physical abuse against Marina Poghosyan by some officers of the Compulsory Enforcement Service of Judicial Acts, which was examined in Armenian courts, yet the CES officers have not been called to account.
In her interview with the Arajin Lratvakan (the First News Agency) Marina Poghosyan assessed the encroachment by the CES officers as sexual harassment against her. It should be reminded that on March 17, 2014, during the eviction of a family dwelling in Abovyan Street in Yerevan, CES officers executed violence against the oldest member of the family, 77-year-old Zina Gyozalyan. After she had arrived at the scene, the human rights defender Marina Poghosyan tried to prevent violence, but in the result she herself was subjected to violence and humiliation.
The CES officers first deprived the human rights defender of freedom by locking her behind the door of one of the rooms and not allowing her to leave the place. Then, a little later, the door was opened, Poghosyan was pulled out from the place and thrown on the concrete stairs. Poghosyan was caused bodily injuries.
“If the investigator, the prosecutor and the judge of the case can consider it normal of strange men’s carrying their wives by hugging them, I find it to be sexual harassment”, Marina Poghosyan told to the Arajin Lratvakan.
Applying to the European Court, the human rights defender stated that the Republic of Armenia violated Articles 3, 8 and 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The complaint states the following: “The applicant finds that the use of force by the CES officers, putting pressure on her and humiliating her in front of her client resulted in a violation of the rights of prohibition of torture set forth in Article 3, and of respect for private and family life set forth in Article 8 of the Convention, and the lack of effective investigation of the cases and of not bringing the perpetrators to trial resulted in a violation of Article 13 of the Convention, i.e. the right to an effective remedy”.
http://www.1in.am/1864471.html
