Which government agency is responsible for the death of a 7-year-old child?

Baku/02.05.23/Turan: The Sumgait City Court sentenced Mehman Khalilov, who inflicted 7-year-old Farid Bakarov with grievous bodily injuries that caused the death of a child in the gym of school No. 19 in the village of Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev in Sumgayit on April 29.

The court chose an extreme measure of restraint against Mehman Khalilov for the period of the investigation, arrest for a period of 4 months. Currently, the investigation is continuing on the case initiated against him under Article 126.3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (Intentional infliction of serious harm to health - resulting in the death of the victim by negligence).

During the preliminary investigation, it was established that immediately after the incident, Mehman Khalilov informed the relatives of 7-year-old Farid that he had been injured as a result of a fall. However, after some time, thanks to the footage taken by the surveillance camera, the investigative body found that he had abused minors during sambo classes. Other shots taken in the gym are currently being investigated. It is possible that Mehman Khalilov showed the same attitude to other children who attended his classes.

Why did the existence of the problem become known after the death of the child and the distribution of videos? Why is there no control? Why do government agencies not fulfill their duties, and such tragedies happen? Aren't the Ministry of Science and Education, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the State Committee on Family, Women and Children Responsible for what happened?

 Kamala Ashumova, the executive director of the  “Umidli” Public Association of Social Initiatives of the Future answers these questions in the "Difficult question" program.

What happened in the gym of school No. 19 was not just physical violence, but also prolonged physical violence, she said. "Such actions, especially if they are of a prolonged nature, cause children not only physical but also psychological trauma," Ashumova said. In her opinion, sports, training should be under the close attention of government agencies.

"We have repeatedly raised this issue from year to year, but there was no reaction from the state bodies," she stressed.

Ashumova noted that people working with children, whether they are teachers  or coaches, must necessarily undergo an adequacy check, the state of their mental health.

"When applying for a job as a teacher, you need to undergo a psychiatric examination. And it is important not only to check the adequacy of the teacher, but it is also equally important what has led or may lead to mental problems. But unfortunately, in practice we see something completely different," Ashumova believes.