Advocates report on beatings of Armenian activist in prison

For the second day, Vardges Gaspari is being subjected to physical and psychological pressure, and he has refused to take food and water. This was reported by advocate Tigran Egoryan. Officials from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have reported that the arrested man has stopped his hunger strike.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 19, the court pronounced the decision to arrest civil society activist Vardges Gaspari, a supporter of the Armenian National Congress, on suspicion of insulting a policeman and a judge. Today, it has been reported that at the request of investigators, he has been transferred to a psychiatric hospital for forensic examination.

According to Tigran Egoryan, cellmates of Vardges Gaspari beat him and pour cold water on him, and warders do not interfere with the situation.

Advocate David Gyurdjyan has stated that the psychiatric examination has been postponed for indefinite period for unknown reasons.

An investigation has been launched on the basis of the statements made by the advocates of the arrested man, reports an official of the Criminal Executive Department of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia.

Gor Glechyan, the press secretary of the Criminal Executive Department of the Armenian MoJ, has confirmed the information that Vardges Gaspari declared a hunger strike. According to Gor Glechyan, on February 23, Vardges Gaspari demanded to transfer him to another cell. His demand has been satisfied, and today, he has written a statement about the termination of his hunger strike.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.