“Touched my breasts, my body, so I slapped”: Marina Khachatryan warns about sexual harassment

Member of Yerkir Tsirani Marina Khachatryan has made new discoveries, presenting the reason that has forced her to slap Republican Party member Edmon Kirakosyan. She told Radio Liberty that she was defending himself from sexual harassment at that moment.

According to her, Edmond Kirakosyan behaved indecently in the turmoil, touching her breasts and other parts of the body. Let’s notice that cameras have fixed the moment.

“As for the slap, I will never allow anyone to take my clothes off, touch my chest and body. Therefore, he received a slap an answer because I have been sexually assaulted by him and should be held accountable. He was lucky enough that I had no free place in front of me, otherwise they would have felt strength of my feet, specifically that man”, – she said.

Let us remind you that the solemn launch of today’s session of Yerevan Council of Elders turned into a scandal in minutes.

Ambulance Service Director Taguhi Stepanyan confirmed in a telephone conversation with Azatutyun radiostation that two brigades – for heart diseases, and psychiatric – were sent to the municipality. According to Stepanyan, the call came from an unknown number and was not mentioned for whom the psychiatric brigade is called.

Yerevan Municipality later made a statement condemning the actions of Yerkir Tsirani faction. The municipality’s message particularly says that members of the “Yerkir Tsirani” faction permitted actions discrediting the Council of Elders,  deliberately violating the Council Rules of Procedure, violating the rights of other members of the Council of Elders, Yerevan City Hall staff and media representatives attending the session, showing shameful behavior for Armenians, Yerevan residents and generally for rational people, unacceptable and an unplanned, unprovoked act of reasoning, creating an anti-sanitary situation and temporarily disrupting the regular work of the council.”

Residents of Nubarashen stated that the sewage-filled-bottle was taken to Taron Margaryan according to their request so that he can personally see in what conditions of stench they have been living recently.

Immediately after the publication of data on violence against women members of Yerkir Tsirani faction the Human Rights Defender has appealed to the Prosecutor General to initiate criminal proceedings. “It has been clarified that preparation of materials is already being implemented within the framework of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The issue of criminal proceedings has also raised the issue of obstructing the work of journalists covering the Yerevan Council of Elders’ session during the incident, “the Human Rights Defender’s office reports.

Full text in Armenian