Preliminary investigation of the criminal proceeding initiated on torturing a person by the employees of Patrol Service was completed in the Department for Investigation of Crimes on Torture and Abusing or Exceeding Authorities by Officials through Using Violence of General Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee.

In the course of preliminary investigation it was found out that on August 11, 2022 patrol officers conducted an administrative action against a citizen for driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, during which the passenger getting out of the car, approached them and interrupted the administrative action conducted by them, urging the driver to get into the car.

The two patrol officers demanded that he should not interrupt in the implementation of their service powers; however the citizen did not obey their legal demand, continuing to obstruct the implementation of administrative action.

As a result, the patrol officers placed the citizen under administrative arrest and transported him to the Police Department, where one of them in the presence of another officer punched the arrested person under their jurisdiction on the chest in order to punish him for displaying illegal behavior: causing physical pain and mental suffering to the latter.

The other patrol officer did not take measures to prevent and disrupt the use of violence; in addition, he did not proceed with the case of torture against the citizen, which remained unrecorded.

Public criminal prosecution was initiated against one of the patrol officers according to the Part 1 of the Article 450 of RA Criminal Code, and against the other according to the Part 1 of the Article 441 of RA Criminal Code.

By the investigative body’s decision and the prosecutor’s approval their tenure was suspended.

The criminal proceeding with the bill of indictment was sent to the prosecutor for approval and referral to court.