A Posthumous Conviction

On April 21, Mikhail Khachaturyan, stabbed to death by his daughters in 2018, was posthumously convicted of sexually abusing his children. The conviction was a legal victory for the Khachaturian sisters, whose case sparked widespread debate about domestic violence in Russia.

In 2018, the 19-, 18-, and 17-year-old daughters of Khachaturian murdered their father. It was quickly revealed that the 57-year-old murder victim had been physically and sexually abusing his daughters Angelina, Krestina, and Maria Khachaturian for years. Mikhail’s relatives publicly defended him and shamed his daughters in court and the media. The case prompted discussions in Russia and abroad about many subjects that are still widely considered taboo: domestic violence, sexual violence, and incest. 

Angelina, Krestina, and Maria (who was a minor at the time of the crime) spent time in pre-trial detention centers. Currently, the Khachaturians are free but face restrictions in their use of the internet, and they are not allowed to communicate with the media. 

The defense used Telegram and Whatsapp messages, testimonies of 30 witnesses, and linguistic, psychological, and psychiatric evaluations to reconstruct the abuses endured by the sisters since 2014. Psychiatrists have diagnosed all sisters with post traumatic stress disorder and attributed the diagnosis to the sexual abuse from their father. Physical exams on Angelina, Krestina, and Maria have shown wounds compatible with their allegations. In 2021, the court recognized the sisters as victims. Mikhail Khacharurian’s posthumous trial began in 2023.

The sisters have been able to start rebuilding their lives. They finished school, have jobs and rent their own apartments. On April 21, their father was found guilty of committing violent sexual acts, beatings, and producing and distributing pornography online. Alexey Parshin, one of the sisters' lawyers, said, “[the sisters] are very happy, [the defense] are very happy. Everyone is happy except for Mikhail Khachaturian’s side.”

Even though Mikhail Khachaturian was declared guilty, the verdict has not yet come into effect. Khachaturian’s relatives are expected to appeal the decision. The sisters' future is still uncertain, as their criminal case is ongoing. Parshin said, ”We hope that the Investigative Committee will now finally decide that the girls were providing necessary self-defense and will stop criminal prosecution.” 

Despite facing a domestic violence epidemic with soldiers returning from Russia’s war in Ukraine, the country still does not have robust laws that protect against domestic violence.