PUBLIC PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE OF ARMENIA HAS BROUGHT A CHARGE AGAINST HAKOP HAKOPYAN

Regnum, Russia
Oct 18 2006

The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Armenia has filed a charge against
MP Hakop Hakopyan. Hakopyan is charged with forming a group and
committing an act of hooliganism with the use of firearms (point 4,
article 38-258 of Armenia’s Criminal Code). He is also charged with
tax avoidance (point 2, article 214 and article 205), complicity in
the deliberate destruction or damage of property (point 2, article
34-214, point 1, article 38-185) and some other misdeeds.

To remind, on October 8, Hakop Hakopyan was caught trying to penetrate
the territory of the ArmRosgazprom gas-distributing station in the
village of Hayanist and began a squabble with the members of the Full
Contact Fighting Federation who guarded the territory. The sides used
firearms. As a result, the president of the federation, a coach and
Hakopyan’s driver were taken to hospital with injuries. The police
found a Winchester gun on the scene.

On October 11, Hakopyan was released from the Yerevan-Center
penitentiary because of the expiry of the 72-hour period of custody.

On Oct 13 the Armenian Parliament granted the petition of Public
Prosecutor Agvan Hovsepyan for depriving Hakopyan of his deputy
immunity. During the meeting, Hakopyan said that he did not regret what
he had done as his voters were there and he just wanted to stop the
fight. "You shouldn’t talk about this incident as if it is a crime of
the century," he said and noted that 90% of the charges were groundless
and he was ready to disprove all of them alone if the justice was fair.