Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan has proposed discussing the possibility of applying an alternative preventive measure for 18-year-old Davit Minasyan. She told journalists about the proposal without specifying to whom it was addressed, according to Aysor.am .
“The decision regarding detention is made by the court. I cannot say that an illness is unequivocally compatible or incompatible with detention, but I can specifically emphasize that, taking into account documents related to the person’s health condition, issues related to the right to education, and so on, I have also proposed discussing the possibility of an alternative preventive measure,” she said.
Davit Minasyan’s lawyer, Lusine Martirosyan, told journalists outside the prosecutor’s office that she had visited him in the morning and that he was experiencing headaches and various complaints, Panorama.am reports.
“I visited Davit this morning; he had headaches and complaints. I tried not to disturb him,” she said.
The lawyer stressed that Davit’s condition is worrying.
“Davit is not well, he is not well, dear people. Right now, the most important issue for us is his life and health; we will address the right to education later,” she said.
According to her, a request addressed to Education, Science, Culture and Sports Minister Zhanna Andreasyan has not yet received a response, despite the urgency of the matter. There has also been no response to a letter sent to the Prosecutor General.
“There are no legal grounds for Davit’s detention,” she added.
While citizens and public figures were holding a peaceful protest outside the Prosecutor General’s Office demanding the release of 18-year-old Davit Minasyan, lawyer Ruben Melikyan reported new developments.
“Just now I was informed from our office that the supervising prosecutor has also filed an appeal against the court decision that fully satisfied the investigator’s motion to detain 18-year-old Davit, an обвиняемый in the ‘Palm Sunday case’, and to completely restrict his visits. No, do not think the appeal is in Davit’s favor—it is to his detriment.
I will find time later to read the appeal to understand what more they want from a young man who went to church to attend Holy Liturgy and ended up in trouble,” he said.
Davit’s mother, Gayane Minasyan, has appealed to the education minister, asking her to act as a guarantor to change her son’s preventive measure.
Davit Minasyan was detained on March 29, Palm Sunday, following an incident in the courtyard of Saint Anna Church. He was later charged and placed in pretrial detention for two months. During transfers, he reportedly lost consciousness several times and is currently at the Nairi Medical Center.
