A NUMBER OF RA MPs DEMAND TO IMMEDIATELY RELEASE UNITED JAVAKHK
DEMOCRATIC BLOC’S PRESIDENCY MEMBER VAHAGN CHAKHALIAN

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 19 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Two dozens of MPs made a statement
near the RA National Assembly building condemning the attack upon
United Javakhk democratic bloc’s presidency member Vahagn Chakhalian,
activists Gurgen Shirinian and others organized on October 10 in
Yerevan. According to the statement authors, "RA law enforcement
bodies instead of disclosing the rude crime towards national figures,
adopted a policy of slurring over this case," moreover, of punishing
the victims. It was mentioned that a few hours after the incident
V.Chakhalian was arrested by National Security Service employees and
was arrested two days later with an "absurd" accusation of illegally
crossing RA state border.

The MPs demand from law enforcement bodies to disclose and call to
liability the author of the committed crime and to immediately release
Vahagn Chakhalian or at least to remove the preventive punishment
chosen for him, arrest.

As statement initiator Hmayak Hovhannisian said at the October 19
press briefing, "the bloc promoted activity that is beyond the control
of both the Georgian authorities and the circles of Akhalkalak origin
engaged in business who nestled in Yerevan and taking the opportunities
and privileges given to them by the Georgian authorities also started
a super-profitable business in Georgia, at the seaside." Without
rendering it more concrete he hinted that one of the above mentioned
persons is a RA MP and he was recently calling for making investments
in Batumi on all TV channels.

The statement was signed by RA NA Ardarutiun (Justice) faction Head,
PPA Chairman Stepan Demirchian and PPA members Grigor Haroutiunian,
Vardan Mkrtchian, Stepan Zakarian, Edmon Tsaturian, members of the same
faction, NDU Chairman Vazgen Manukian, DPA Chairman Aram Sargsian,
NDP Chairman Arshak Sadoyan, Hrant Khachatrian, non-partisan MPs
Hmayak Hovhannisian, Viktor Dallakian, Tatul Manaserian, Manuk
Gasparian, NA State and Legal Issues Standing Committee Chairman,
member of the People’s Deputy group, RPA member Rafik Petrosian,
and with some reservations Hanrapetutiun Party leader Aram Sargsian
and member of the same party Smbat Ayvazian.