Hakob Hakobyan Will Be Set Free For Two Days

HAKOB HAKOBYAN WILL BE SET FREE FOR TWO DAYS

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[06:33 pm] 11 October, 2006

Tomorrow the Government session will make a decision about convening
a special NA session on October 13 at midday. The session will discuss
the issue of depriving NA deputy Hakob Hakobyan of immunity.

Factually, Hakobyan will be set free tonight, until the Parliament
decides what to do.

According to our sources, Robert Kocharyan has held a consultation with
the participation of the main political powers and demanded to vote
for depriving Hakobyan of immunity. Leader of the Republican faction
Galoust Sahakyan confirmed the information about the consultation
but refuted that about the demand to vote. Let us inform you that
the voting will take place with ballots; 66 deputies are needed in
order to secure quorum, and the deputy can be deprived of immunity
in case 50%+1 deputies vote for it.

Galoust Sahakyan also refrained from giving assessment, "We will be
able to answer all the questions when the investigation is over and
the case is in the court". Asked the question if the Republican party
is being compromised on purpose, Galoust Sahakyan said, "For years
the members of our party preserved their reputation, and in this
pre-election year attempts are made to stain our name". According to
Galoust Sahakyan, it is the opposition which is trying to compromise
the Republican Party.

The opposition has not yet decided how to vote. Member of the
Justice faction Stepan Zaqaryan informed that the issue has not
yet been discussed in the faction, but they have questions to the
Public Prosecutor and to Hakobyan himself as they need to know
what has happened. He said that according to several sources, the
representatives of the Full Contact Karate federation were sent to
the site on purpose, "We do not exclude the possibility that Hakob
Hakobyan may have attempted to defend himself", Zaqaryan said.

Member of the Orinats Yerkir Hovhannes Margaryan learned from the
Friday special session from us and said that the party has not
discussed the issue yet.

"National Unity" has not discussed it yet, but according to Alexan
Karapetyan, "the decision will not be in favor of the authorities".

Member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Gegham Manoukyan said he has always
been against the immunity of the deputies. "The deputies, like all
the other citizens of the RA, have equal rights and responsibilities
and must equally be protected by the law".

As for People’s Deputy faction, we learned from Karen Karapetyan that
the faction is not going to vote unanimously and each deputy is free
to vote as they wish.