"If eight people had beaten him intensively, the forensic doctor should have given a more complex description": Arpine Sargsyan

"If Tigran Ulubabyan was intensely beaten by eight people, both the hospital and the forensic doctor should have provided a more complex description than what has been recorded," said Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan in the National Assembly, responding to a question about the alleged torture of Artsakh native Tigran Ulubabyan by police officers.

"If it turns out that there is a false accusation against the police officers, then there will be accountability for false denunciation," she continued, emphasizing that whether it concerns a citizen of Armenia or a forcibly displaced person from Nagorno-Karabakh, there is no difference in approach if a violation of rights has occurred. She urged that the issue should not be discussed from a one-sided perspective.

Speaking to journalists after the session, the minister stated that she neither confirms nor denies the allegations. "Concrete evaluations will be given once the allegations are confirmed or refuted. An investigation must take place," she said.

"The Investigative Committee must re-question the police officers, the victim, conduct confrontations, and carry out all necessary procedural actions. It is impossible to make an assessment without procedural actions; that would be one-sided. As Minister of Internal Affairs, I need to understand the case objectively – on one hand, to protect our citizen if there was misconduct by the police officer, and on the other hand, if there was no misconduct but defamation instead, to protect the police officer who did not commit such an act. Once again, at this moment, I cannot provide an assessment regarding this case," she stated.