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Article II of the European Convention of Human Rights states that the state is obliged to protect everyone’s right to life, which is violated in the current case. We have a family, that has numerously applied to competent bodies, the police about the occured cases of violence, there is a court verdict, which never fulfilled, human rights defender, publicist Zara Hovhannisyan told reporters at a meeting, when speaking of the June 8 tragic incident occurred in Yerevan.

To remind, a man killed his mother-in-law and injured his former wife and father-in law with axe over what he claimed illegal ban on visiting his son. The injured are in critical condition in Erebouni medical center.

To Hovhannisyan, they have voiced up the necessity of the law on preventing domestic violence, while the issue is constantly delayed.

“We have applied to the Justice Ministry for several times asking to be included in a working group dealing with the drafting of the law. We have received no feedback thus far. This indifference, isolation, delineating between the NGOs from one hand and the state and judicial system from the other hinders joint efforts to solve the issue,” noted Hovhannisyan.

Colonel Nelly Duryan, Head of the Criminal Investigation 3-rd Division of the RA Police, present at the meeting, noted the Police works transparently, combats the violence within its authority given by the law.

Duryan next reflected on the case under consideration, referring to the poor atmosphere in the mentioned family: “We had recorded 8 briefs over the case. There were cases when the wife reported about the violence against her and her mother. In other cases, the husband reported the police about being beaten by his wife and her mother. The operative group of the police each time proceeded with the cases.”

As to the law on preventing domestic violence, Nelly Duryan said an intergovernmental working group is developing the draft legislation

Head of “Women’s support center” NGO Maro Matosyan said there is no political will in adopting the law, since the it requires prevention which implies establishment of shelters.

“That is to say the adoption of the legislation is linked to obtaining relevant funds. Consequently, the whole process is delayed,” noted Matosyan, adding the Law “On preventing domestic violence” will change people’s understanding about domestic violence to perceive it as a criminal act.