The Police will present the Results of Service Investigation to the Court
13:38, June 24, 2013 | News | Freedom of Information and Speech, Right to Fair Trial | Police
The RA Administrative Court satisfied the motion of Helsinki Citizens Assembly Vanadzor Chairman Artur Sakunts and human rights defender Arayik Zalyan, pursuant to which, the RA Police Internal Security Department must submit the package of service investigation to the court.
The human rights defenders had applied to the court with a claim to oblige the aforementioned department of the RA Police to provide information to them as well as to subject A. Hakobyan, Chief of RA Police Internal Security Department, to a fine.
The court scheduled the subsequent court trial and meanwhile implied that in case of receiving the service investigation results for the Police the court trial will not only be held behind closed doors but also the parties will be bound by their signatures not to publish the possible official secret including information before the court issues a ruling. The fact that the human rights organization reported on crime to the RA SIS, General Prosecutor’s office and the RA Police regarding the protection of citizen Julieta Hovhannisyan’s rights underlies the claim.
The human rights organization received a note from the RA SIS, whereby, they were notified that it had been sent to the RA Police Internal Security Department where investigation was conducted. Referring to Article 9 of the RA law on Freedom of Information (a response to the written requests of citizens to get information are given in a 5-day term after receiving them), HCAV had requested information but it was turned down by the Police with the following justification, “In the meanwhile I inform that service investigation materials serve as documents including official secrets designated for internal use only, therefore, those cannot be provided to you.”
The human rights defenders make a reference to Article 18 of the RA Constitution, pursuant to which, everyone has a right to protect his/her rights and freedoms by any means not prohibited by the law as well as a right to reinstate his/her violated rights. Claimants from Helsinki stressed that the original documents and not their copies should be presented to the court so that they would be able to compare them. The court conceded to their request.