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On October 2, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) revealed decision in the case Virabyan v. Armenia.

Grisha Virabyan was a member of the People’s Party of Armenia. The case concerns his allegation that he was tortured in police custody in April 2004 following his arrest on suspicion of carrying a firearm at a rally organized by the opposition parties in Yerevan.

In particular, he alleged that he was repeatedly kicked and punched in the groin during his custody and, as a result, his left testicle had to be removed. He further complained that the investigation into his allegations of torture was ineffective and that his ill-treatment was politically motivated.

According to ECHR decree, Armenian government must compensate 31,000 euros to Virabyan, including 25,000 euros for moral damage and 6,000 euros for court expenses.

Virabyan relied on Article 3 (prohibition of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment) and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination). Further relying on Article 6 § 2 (presumption of innocence), he also complained that criminal proceedings brought against him for attacking a public official during his police custody were terminated in August 2004 notably on the ground that he had also suffered during the incident and that this had “atoned for his guilt, ” ECHR website reported.