“Blackened and ash-burnt, my brother suffered four days; he took this step because of the judges and justice in Armenia”
12:22, August 4, 2016 | News, Other news
“Blackened and ash-burnt, my brother suffered four days; he took this step because of the judges and justice in Armenia”, Alvard Grigoryan, sister of Kajik Grigoryan who burnt himself on Baghramyan Avenue the other day said indignantly.
On July 30, during the protest in support of ‘Sasna Tsrer’ on Baghramyan Avenue, after midnight Kajik Grigoryan poured petrol on himself and burnt himself unexpectedly for everyone. The public was shocked by this move. Some people considered Kajik a symbol of Armenia and noted that this outburst of the Republic of Armenia citizen was his protest against the authorities.
Yesterday, Kajik Grigoryan died at the Scientific Center for Radiation Medicine and Burns. “His burns were incompatible with life” doctors at hospital said.
Kajik’s death intensified the public protest; people blamed his death on the authorities and their policy. Shortly after, there were allegations that Kajik burnt himself not in protest and rebellion and even less so his action was linked to politics and authorities.
Yesterday, Norayr Davidyan, director of the hospital, told the media that the self-immolation was absolutely not political in nature; the victim’s house was confiscated and he took that step out of his general situation.
“His wife banished him from home and he had nowhere to live. Kajik Grigoryan suffered from AIDS. Kajik Grigoryan was “an avid drug user”, received morphine as prescribed by law and was imprisoned for 10 years. The people who provided him first aid and might have contacted with his wounds had better turn to hospital and undergo medical tests.”
In her interview to ‘Medialab’, Kajik’s sister Ms. Alvard said, “Do they mean that my brother is a naught? Aren’t they ashamed? Yes, once he used drugs, yes, he has a conviction; even if he was HIV-positive, what does this have to do with the fact that justice wasn’t administered for my brother? Kajik received methadone treatment and led another life. He enjoyed great respect; you can ask whoever you wish. He had a disability of 3rd degree and received disability benefit.”
Alvard Grigoryan said that they used to have a house inherited from their parents at 32 Hanrapetutyun St. considered realization area, and their brother Spartak’s daughter deprived them all of inheritance:
“After my mother’s death she arranged with the help of a notary public that she is the only inheritor and left us homeless. She received a 3-room apartment from ‘Glendale Hills’. The courts of law did not declare Kajik, our other brother and me inheritors. That girl resorted to every illegal step to make the courts reject us. 6 court hearings were held; we also applied to the European Court. Due to unjust judges, that girl, who had never given her grandmother a single glass of water, became the owner of the house, and Kajik, who was born in that house, stayed with our mother, took care of her, changed her underwear and, pardon me, even changed her bedpan, was not declared her inheritor. Apart from Kajik, she also deprived my other brother of inheritance. I’m an inheritor too, but I don’t need a house.”
Alvard Grigoryan said that for years they applied to various state agencies: Staff of the President, Staff of the Prime Minister, Staff of the National Assembly, and all of them replied: “It’s beyond our jurisdiction.”
“Who then has jurisdiction to restore the justice? We also applied to the Ministry of Justice; no one responded”, Alvard Grigoryan said to ‘Medialab’.
According to Kajik’s sister, he had never attended protests before the protest on Baghramyan Avenue. On that day he saw a big wave of public protest in struggle against the authorities and made up his mind to join.
“He went there to express his anger with the unjust practices of the country, with such injustice and corrupt judges and regretfully did this.”
Kajik Grigoryan’s family members, i.e. his wife, children and grandchildren live in Greece. Ms. Alvard said that her brother was deported and could no longer return to his family.
“The children are crying their hearts out as they read and watch whatever is written about their dad, they’re crying their hearts out that their dad did such a thing.”
Human rights activist Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, said that by disclosing information on Kajik Grigoryan’s being HIV-positive and his addiction and using such terms, they give rise to a discriminatory and negative treatment towards his personality.
“Here we have a person who carried out an extreme act of civil protest that would inevitably lead to public unrest and might also constitute a factor contributing to further continuation of the protest. Especially, given the fact that he died, the public might not remain indifferent as a person protesting against the illegal actions of the authorities died”, Artur Sakunts said in his interview to ‘Medialab’.
According to the human rights activist’s observation, given that such a statement was made by a doctor, a former Minister of Health, who was aware of the principles of non-disclosure of a person’s health data, by disclosing information on Kajik Grigoryan’s being HIV-positive and drug user, doctor Davidyan violated the RA Laws on Medical Care and Services to the Population and on Protection of Personal Data stating that “Data on a person’s health shall be confidential and may be disclosed by the person in question or their family.”
“And given the context of the protest, I don’t consider the disclosure of such data and such statement to be accidental. Definitely, it tends to defame in the eyes of the public the overall protest through this particular protester. This is within the logic of the authorities to restrain and restrict as far as possible the public protests against their activities”, the human rights activist said.