Alert on the unlawfulness of the questioning of detainees
22:27, April 19, 2018 | Announcements, JointThe lawyers of the Joint Hotline of Human Rights Defenders raise the alarm on the unlawful detention of participants in the peaceful rallies, their being held in detention for longer than the period established and being unlawfully questioned at the Special Investigation Service as witnesses in Criminal Case No 13199318 that was initiated on April 16, 2018.
In police stations, most of the detainees “obtain” a status of a witness without notice and are questioned in the framework of the aforementioned case despite the fact that they have never been notified of the need to appear and give testimony on the given case.
Moreover, the witnesses are questioned with regard to the cases that occurred on April 17-18 although the criminal case was initiated at the SIS on the basis of the events that took place from April 13 to 16.
Apart from this, the questioning is carried out on the basis of a common questionnaire, where the investigators act as “interviewers”, being unaware of the factual circumstances of the case.
We demand that the investigative bodies should ensure the procedures established by the RA Code of Criminal Procedure.
Joint Hotline of Human Rights Defenders
19.04.2018