Armenia starts investigation into case of police violence against activist Argishti Kiviryan

The General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Armenia has opened a criminal case on the complaint filed by Argishti Kiviryan, a coordinator of the news agency "Armenia Today", about the police violence against him. The criminal case was transferred to the Special Investigating Service of Armenia for investigation.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 1, 2013, policemen detained Argishti Kiviryan in front of the Yerevan city administration, where activists were on hunger strike demanding to dismiss the head of the Transport Department and the Director of the "Yerevantrans". The activists believed that the above officials had initiated the increase in public transport fares.

According to the advocate of Argishti Kiviryan, during the detention, his client had suffered injuries. Argishti Kiviryan has claimed that the policemen kept him at the police station for more than three hours.

The Special Investigating Service (SIS) of Armenia has accepted for the investigation the criminal case initiated by the GPO of Armenia on the deliberate use of police violence against Argishti Kiviryan on August 1, 2013, and on harming his rights and legitimate interests. This was stated by the message published on the website of the SIS of Armenia on May 12.