Preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on mass disorders recorded in Avan administrative district on April 22, 2018 was completed on three defendants in the Division of Investigation of Grave Crimes of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee.

It was earlier informed that on April 22 in the neighborhood of “Ford” car service operating in Avan a group of people in civilian clothes, some of them in medical masks blocked the carriageway of Acharyan Street leading to the Center, hit with blackjacks and damaged the citizens’ cars, as well as hindered the professional activity of the reporter of «Public Radio».

In the result of investigatory actions and operative-intelligence measures of great volume a number of circumstances were found out, three persons involved in the mass disorders were identified. One of them was a senior specialist of the Division of Culture and Sport of Avan administrative district A. Gasparyan, born in 1983, the other was a specialist of first class of the same administrative district K. Tonoyan, born in 1985, and the third one was a leading specialist of Yerevan city hall E. Petrosyan, born in 1985.

Pursuant to preliminary investigation data, on the mentioned day a protest combined with peaceful meeting was held in Republic square of Yerevan by the civil initiative «My Step».

With the purpose of limiting the citizens' right to take part in the peaceful meetings and to move freely, to use violence against the citizens going to the Center of Yerevan on April 22, 2018 in the neighborhood of “Ford” car service operating in the crossroad of Acharyan and Acharyan the Second Streets of Avan administrative district of Yerevan mass disorders combined with violence were held. During the mass disorders in order to conceal the identity of those involved, to create a sphere of fear medical masks and blackjacks were distributed to those involved in disorders, citizens' cars were willfully damaged, as well as a reporter's professional activity was hindered.

Through investigation data were obtained on the allegation that the reporter of «Public Radio» Vruyr Tadevosyan had left for the scene to cover the mass disorders and started to make live broadcast with a tablet of «IPad Air 2» model.

Seeing that the reporter was broadcasting their actions those involved in the mass disorders demanded that he should stop filming. The reporter presented himself as a reporter to continue his activity and refused to do their demand. In respond to it those involved in mass disorders seized his tablet and mobile phone hindering his professional activity.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence charge was pressed against A. Gasparyan according to the Part 3 of the Article 38-164 of RA Criminal Code. Charge was pressed against E. Petrosyan and K. Tonoyan according to the Part 2 of the Article 225 of RA Criminal Code. Signature not to leave was chosen as a pretrial measure against them.

The criminal case on the part of three defendants was separated as a separate proceeding, preliminary investigation was completed and the case with the bill of indictment was sent to prosecutor supervising the legality of preliminary investigation.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing. Measures are taken to find out the whole frame of those involved, to personalize their actions and to give appropriate criminal legal assessment.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.