sisters Khachaturyan: victim to accused

Three young women suffer from patriarchal sexism entrenched in Russian institutions. Stabbed the corpse of Mikhail Khachaturyan, from 57 years, They were found the night 27 July 2018 on the stairs of the house 56, Moscow street Altufevskoe, where the family lived. Angelina sisters, Mary and Crestina Khachaturyan confessed the fact and were arrested on 28 of July.

The case could reach courts in August 2019. For the prosecution it comes "Murder of a group of persons in a preliminary conspiracy". They believe that while the father was sleeping, the three girls wounded him with previously prepared objects.

Defenses claim that the actions were spontaneous, in self-defense against aggression fatherly. An examination showed that the latest attack was shortly before death, when the father punishing daughters disaster at home, he called to his room and sprayed their faces with pepper spray.

The lawyer says Alexey Parshin, according to the decision of the plenary session 2012 Supreme Court: "The article is designed so that it is not necessary that violence is at a particular time. If a person understands that inevitably will continue, in this case has the right to defense ". Regarding the sisters Khachaturyan, one can speak of torture that lasted several years. "Violence had a continuing nature, It is constantly renewed. His actions were intended to break this chain ".

Previous life

Mikhail Khachaturyan household rules imposed their families had to follow. It was very violent and unstable, something that was confirmed by neighbors, teachers, friends of the girls and parents. He threatened his daughters with weapons (an arsenal was found in his apartment). It is not known exactly how he made his living, It is said to have links with powerful people.

He started beating his wife when she was 19 years, Pregnant first child, who intimidated and out of the house to 15 years. Later, his wife expelled and banned him from communicating with his daughters. Although this savage aggressor was repeatedly denounced, Police denied. As he stated by the mother of the girls, her former husband had friends in the security force.

Research shows that began sexually harassing her daughters shortly after the mother take them. While on vacation a sister attempted suicide after being forced by her father to have oral sex. She was rescued by doctors. The girls told that they incited group sex.

They lived as slaves, his father had a bell that played every time I needed something: bring food, open the window etc. In 2018 Khachaturyan almost did not let them leave home or go to school. This prompted complaints from teachers but social services did not take the necessary measures, why they are under investigation at the behest of lawyers.

patriarchal chauvinism

Mikhail Khachaturyan's nephew became famous “Cleaning” the image of his uncle and threatening girls. Mikhail's mother, grandmother of the girls, one evicted from the apartment where they had lived together.

In the official chains the view that the sisters are liars transmitted and must be condemned. A group of young misogynist made an action demanding the extension of the preventive measure, threatening girls, to those who defend and lawyers.

Gender Violence

In 2017, President Vladimir Putin signed a law decriminalizing beatings in the family, now they considered an administrative rather than criminal offense. Since the concept of "Domestic violence" It is not in the legislation, it is impossible to determine the exact number of victims. It is estimated that violence occurs in one out of four Russian families.

Russia needs a law against domestic violence. The lawyer in the area of ​​gender violence and human rights activist Alena Popova, He has been campaigning for adoption, He has already collected over 400 thousand signatures. They are required: orders security, programs to offenders, shelter systems, economic and social containment of victims and gender-sensitive training at all levels.

#NiUnaMenos

The Khachaturyan sisters are not the only case that ends up hurting severely accusing victims, in the last two years they were convicted more than three thousand women. He 3 July in Krasnodar, a jury convicted Kristina Shidukova of 28 years, for killing her husband, he got drunk and beat her. When the husband of Alena Verba got drunk and beat her, she denounced him, but his warnings were ignored. Finally, he killed the 20 stab wounds, leaving his son Nikita seven years with the body of the mother. Margarita miraculously survived Gracheva, after her husband cut her wrists of both hands. Like these, there are many more unfortunate examples.

Neglectful and chauvinistic actions of the institutions put women in a position of helplessness or face a cruel dilemma: kill or be killed by a violent man. cynically, the president's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, He referred to a report Human Rights Watch, stating that the stories of tens of victims do not represent a general situation.

Solidarity Campaign

Friends and relatives of the sisters, feminist groups, social and political, including the Russian Socialist Movement, They are conducting a broad campaign, significant and continues to gain momentum. They have taken as their own, human rights activists, psychologists, bloggers and celebrities, as the singer of System of a Down, Serge Tankian. At “Teatro.doc” Moscow there were readings on violence suffered by the sisters.

He 5 of July, a feminist poetry evening was held and solidarity letters were written. In Moscow and other cities, group and individual seedlings are almost every day. He 24 last July, there were actions 21 cities of the world, between them: NY, Berlin, Helsinki, Barcelona, Toronto, London and Munich, just because a play, play all. More than 220 thousand people have signed a petition the head of the Investigation Committee demanding stop processing.

We have recorded fire “If they touch a, play all” because, organizations from different countries who make up the International Socialist League We have joined the campaign. We spread the claim #FREEKHACHATURYANSISTER in websities, social networks and take photographs in support of the sisters. We also conduct an information campaign in the Plaza Sant Jaume de Barcelona. We call to extend the campaign: Freedom to Khachaturyan sisters! Approval of the law against gender violence in Russia! Keep fighting until the patriarchy and capitalism fall together.