Open news feed Close news feed
A A

AGHVAN HOVSEPYAN: “NO ONE WAS SHOT BY SHARPSHOOTER”

Official


Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan today received the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg


At the meeting the parties discussed issues related to the preliminary investigation results of the criminal case on the fact of mass disorders in Yerevan on March 1-2, cooperation between the Prosecutor’s office, National Assembly’s interim commission and ad-hoc fact-finding group.


A. Hovsepyan informed that as to November 21,under preliminary detention are 7 persons, the parts of the criminal case on them were completed on September and was decided time frame for them to get familiar with materials of the criminal case. On the grounds of petition of the defence, by the prosecutor, who implements the procedural supervision over the legality of the preliminary investigation, two times the decided time was prolonged. Now, the accused and their advocates are given time to get familiar with real evidences and the issue of passing the criminal case to the court will be decided after the accused and their advocates get familiar with materials of the criminal case and consideration of possible petition. The Prosecutor General assured that when the criminal case is sent to the court, the publicity will be provided.


By the request of Commisioner of the human rights, the Prosecutor General touched upon the issue of assessment the lawfulness and ratability of police actions during the mentioned events. He informed that in March he instructed the body, which carried out the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, to investigate the lawfulness of actions not only of police but of concrete police officers. Were interrogated police officers and servicemen of police forces, totally 500 people, were confiscated a number of documents, including police journals, firearms and special devices, attached to policemen and servicemen of police forces.


The preliminary investigation found out that among the servicemen of police forces was one sharpshooter, who was interrogated in June. But the examination of pistols, by which people were wounded and killed, showed that none of them was shot by the gun of the sharpshooter.


Speaking about the used special devices, the Prosecutor General mentioned that by the words of examination institutions in Armenia, the current methods of examinations do not let to conduct identification and the help of international experts is still needed. T. Hammarberg informed that this issue was discussed with some foreign experts and will give contacts of one of well-experienced expert from Great Britain, who may help Armenian experts and preliminary investigation body.


The Prosecutor General charged to organise the invitation of the expert.


Touching upon the cooperation with the ad-hoc fact-finding group, the Prosecutor General assured that the Prosecutor’s office is ready to necessary amount of information to the group, as he did in a case of the National Assembly’s interim commission. At the same time, he expressed a hope that the fact-finding group will be able really to find facts, which will help the preliminary investigation to find out some issues and circumstances. “Different persons, powers make statements that they have a number of facts, but do not give them to the body of the preliminary investigation, because they do not trust it. Is established an independent fact-finding group, consisted of experts, and, I think, there are no grounds not to trust this group, and I hope that all these materials will be given to this group”,- said the Prosecutor General, mentioning that the Prosecutor’s office will be grateful, as it will help to provide full and multilateral investigation.