Crime down in breakaway Karabakh in 2004

Artsakh Public TV, Stepanakert
8 Feb 05

[Presenter over video of meeting] The board of the NKR [Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic] police held a meeting on 8 February. The NKR
president, Arkadiy Gukasyan, and a delegation of the police of the
Republic of Armenia led by Lt-Gen Hayk Arutyunyan also attended
the meeting.

The meeting was dedicated to the results of 2004. The deputy head of
the NKR police, Maj-Gen Arshavir Garamyan, presented a report on the
results of the police’s work in 2004. According to his information,
in 2004 the total number of crimes committed in the NKR was 518,
while 605 crimes were committed in 2003. The number of crimes went
down in all regions of the NKR, except Hadrut District. The number
of thefts and car accidents increased, while the number of criminal
offences decreased.

The NKR president, Arkadiy Gukasyan, delivered a speech. In his speech,
President Gukasyan, in particular, said:

[Gukasyan] People’s trust in the authorities to a great extent depends
on the effective work of the police, because the police are in the
first line of contact with the public. People should perceive every
single policeman as a defender of their rights. However, sometimes
citizens have to be protected from police.

The presidential administration responded to some cases and you know
that some of them have been punished. We will continue to thoroughly
follow the work of the police.

I think that there are serious drawbacks in the registration of
crimes. I have a feeling that the police register the crimes that
are very likely to be solved. This is why I am not satisfied with
the solving of crimes. We have to pay special attention to preventive
activities. In this context, the police should build ties with schools
and the mass media, because some tendencies are alarming. Special
stress has to be put on the personnel policy. We need reforms.
You have to think first and foremost about the country’s interests. I
am very much satisfied with the level of cooperation between the NKR
and Armenian police.