Court to look into possible crime in senator’s actions June 30

ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 22, 2006 Thursday 04:48 PM EST

MOSCOW, June 23 — Russia’s Supreme Court postponed, until June 30, the
deliberation of the issue of whether there were hallmarks of crime in
actions by Federation Council senator from Kalmykia Levon Chakhmachian.

The session was postponed because Chakhmachian is now in hospital,
the senator’s lawyer told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

The previous session was postponed for the same reason.

On June 6, acting Prosecutor General Biryukov asked the Supreme Court
to give a qualification of Chakhmachian’s actions which may be covered
by Part 4 of Article 159 of Russia’s Criminal Code /fraud committed
by an organized group or grand fraud/.

Chief accountant of the Association of Russo-Armenian business
cooperation Igor Arushanov and assistant auditor of the Audit Chamber
Armen Oganesyan were detained in Moscow on June 2 on suspicion of
taking a large bribe.

According to investigators, they demanded 1.5 million dollars from
a businessman for taking out negative information from an audit report.

Levon Chakhmachian happened to be in their office when detectives
seized 300,000 of marked dollar bills.

However, as a FC member, he enjoys immunity, so no procedures were
instituted against him. Arushanov and Oganesyan were arrested.

In accordance with the Criminal Code, judges will meet behind closed
doors to consider the Chakhmachian issue. A prosecutor and the
senator’s lawyer will attend.

Meanwhile, Kalmykia’s parliament decided on June 9 to recall its
representative from the Federation Council. The upper house is expected
to decide on termination of his powers at the next meeting on June 23.

Chakhmakhchian was elected senator of the Federation Council from
Kalmykia in 2004. He occupied the post of Deputy Chairman of the
Committee for problems of local governments.