Published on 2 February 2026
 
FIFTH SECTION
Applications no. 50331/18
Vahe GEVORGYAN against Armenia
and 2 other applications
(see list appended)
communicated on 12 January 2026
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE
From 13 to 23 April 2018 large-scale rallies unfolded in Armenia in opposition to the appointment of the former President to the post of Prime Minister following constitutional amendments. During these protests many demonstrators were arrested and some sustained injuries as a result of use of force by the police.
The first applicant submits that on 17 April 2018 he participated in a protest march and at 10.30 a.m. was arrested to the Arabkir Police Station. He was released at 5.30 p.m. The arresting police officers allegedly used force against him, causing an injury to his arm.
The second applicant submits that he was arrested by the police at the site of the demonstrations on 18, 21 and 22 April 2018. According to a conclusion of the applicant’s medical examination ordered during later investigation, the applicant suffered scratches to his leg.
The third applicant submits that on 22 April 2018 he was pulled out of his car and beaten by police officers while participating in a car rally. He was then taken to a police station, where the police allegedly continued to subject him to violent treatment.
On 22 April 2018 criminal case no. 62212818 was instituted on account of, inter alia, abuse of office and exceeding official authority by police officers during the dispersal of demonstrations held between 16 to 23 April 2018. The applicants were granted victim status. The investigation appears to be pending.
The applicants complain under Article 3 of the Convention that they were subjected to ill-treatment by police officers and of the lack of effective investigation into their alleged ill-treatment. The first and second applicants also complain under Article 5 § 1 that their respective arrests on 17 April 2018 (as regards the first applicant), 18 and 21 April 2018 (as regards the second applicant) were unlawful and arbitrary. The applicants also raise other complaints under the Convention.
QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES
1.  Were the applicants subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment by the police, in breach of Article 3 of the Convention respectively on 17 (the first applicant), 21 and 22 (the second and third applicants) April 2018 (see Shmorgunov and Others v. Ukraine, nos. 15367/14 and 13 others, § 359, 21 January 2021, and Mushegh Saghatelyan v. Armenia, no. 23086/08, §§ 140-147, 20 September 2018)?
 
3.  Having regard to the procedural protection from inhuman or degrading treatment (see paragraph 131 of Labita v. Italy [GC], no. 26772/95, ECHR 2000-IV), was the investigation in the present case by the domestic authorities in breach of Article 3 of the Convention?
 
The Government are requested to inform the Court about the development of criminal case no. 62212818 and to submit the relevant documents accordingly.
 
4.  Were the first and second applicants deprived of their liberty in breach of Article 5 § 1 of the Convention? In particular, was their deprivation of liberty on the respective dates based on a reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence (see Selahattin Demirtaş v. Turkey (no. 2) [GC], no. 14305/17, §§ 313-14, 22 December 2020)? Was it lawful within the meaning of Article 5 § 1 (see Mushegh Saghatelyan v. Armenia, no. 23086/08, §§ 164-65, 20 September 2018)?
 
The Government are invited to submit all the relevant records drawn up in respect of the first and second applicants’ police custody, if any.
 
5.  Have there been other violations of the Convention as alleged by the applicants?
APPENDIX
No.
Application number and name
- Legal representative
- Date of introduction
- Applicant’s name
- Year of Birth
- Place of Residence
- Nationality
1.
50331/18
Gevorgyan v. Armenia
 
Represented by
 
Araks MELKONYAN
Yerevan
 
Lodged on 17/10/2018
 
Vahe GEVORGYAN
1983
Yerevan
Armenian
 
2.
51407/18
Grigoryan v. Armenia
 
Represented by
 
Haykuhi HARUTYUNYAN
Yerevan
 
Lodged on 18/10/2018
 
Robert GRIGORYAN
1999
Yerevan
Armenian
3.
52464/18
Keshisyan v. Armenia
 
Represented by
 
Anna MARALYAN
Strasbourg
 
Lodged on 22/10/2018
 
Avetis KESHISYAN
1990
Yerevan
Armenian