Criminal case against Mariam Sukhudyan

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Backstory here:

http://unzipped.blogspot.com/2009/08/armen...-of-sexual.html

 

Demand to stop the criminal case instituted against Mariam Sukhudyan

[ 2009/08/19 | 17:20 ] society (HETQ) http://hetq.am/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/18_08-M-Sukhudyan1.jpgStatement of NGO's of Armenia

 

The authorities of Armenia relying on law enforcement bodies and judicial system freely carry out any order and continue the policy of intimidation and violence towards the disagreeable citizens.

 

Arrests, beatings and judicial punishment of journalists and human rights defenders, disgraceful trials related to the events of March 1, 2008 over oppositional leaders of Armenia, arrests and beatings of youth movement members struggling for their rights are sanctioned by provost regime of Armenia.

 

The commencement of a criminal case instituted against Mariam Sukhudyan, one of the leaders of ecological movement is another vivid manifestation of policy of impatience towards the dissidence.

 

We, the undersigned non-governmental organizations of Armenia which are members of South Caucasian Network of Human Rights Defenders

 

- demand the competent bodies to stop the criminal case instituted against Mariam Sukhudyan,

- demand the competent bodies to punish the ones who instituted the criminal case

- address the international organizations with a request to support our demands and exert pressure on the authorities of Armenia.

 

Helsinki Association

Socioscop

Helsinki Citizen Assembly

Journalist Club "Asparez"

Women Resource Center

Vernatun- Wives of Political Prisoners

PINK Armenia

Democracy Today

Helsinki Citizen Assembly of Vanadzor

 

 

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Charges Against Young Activist Upgraded; Demonstration Called for Tomorrow

[ 2009/08/18 | 17:03 ] society http://hetq.am/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/18_08-M-Sukhudyan1.jpgIn the last two days, the Erebuni Investigative Unit of the RoA Police Department’s Criminal Affairs Division has upgraded its indictment against Mariam Soukhudyan, a young environmental activist.

 

On August 13, Mariam Soukhudyan received a subpoena to appear in court two days later to testify on the charge of “slander”. But on August 15 she was told that the charge had been changed to one of “false denunciation for personal gain”; a charge that punishable by up to five years imprisonment.

 

According to the environmental NGO “Ecolur”, Mariam Soukhudyan has been ordered to appear in court on August 19.

 

The “false denunciation” charge stems from a “Haylur” TV broadcast on November 13, 2008, in which a female ward of Boarding School No. 11 in Yerevan’s Nubarashen suburb alleged sexual harassment by one of their teachers, Levon Avagian. “According to the stories from the girls, there was at least one case of rape,” it charged.

 

Soukhudyan was among about a dozen young people who worked as volunteers at the Boarding School No. 11 in Yerevan’s Nubarashen suburb in April-June 2008 as part of a United Nations project to boost educational standards in Armenia and recorded one of the girl’s allegations. She took the report to the media.

 

A demonstration will take place outside the Erebuni Investigative Unit (162 Movses Khorenatsi Street) tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. to protest the charges levied against the young activist.