PROSECUTORS PRESS CHARGES AGAINST CONTROVERSIAL MP
By Karine Kalantarian

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Jan 18 2007

Hakob Hakobian, a controversial businessman and parliament deputy,
looks set to stand trial on charges partly stemming from his role in
a recent mass brawl at a gas distribution station near Yerevan.

Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General said on Thursday that it
has completed a criminal investigation into the incident and Hakobian’s
economic activities and will soon forward the case to the court.

The 43-year-old, who joined the governing Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK) last year, was charged with "hooliganism," tax evasion and
other financial irregularities in October immediately after fellow
lawmakers agreed to lift his legal immunity from prosecution.

Addressing the Armenian parliament at the time, Prosecutor-General
Aghvan Hovsepian accused him of organizing an armed assault on the
gas facility in the village of Hayanist after security guards there
refused to allow him to enter its premises.

Hakobian reportedly visited it to demand that the ARG national gas
distributor resume supplies to nearby liquefied gas stations owned
by him. He was arrested on the spot and kept in custody for three days.

The National Assembly gave the green light for his prosecution despite
his assurances that he arrived at the scene stop a "manly fight"
between the security guards and local residents.

The pro-government businessman, who holds sway in the area south of
Yerevan, continues to protest his innocence. "I am not guilty on any
of the counts," he told RFE/RL. "Only incidents taking place in public
places are hooliganism. In my case, the fight happened in a field."

Hakobian also denied the other charges relating to his business
activities of the past 15 years. "I keep doing what I have done for
years," he said.

Hakobian implicitly alleged in parliament that he was not prosecuted
earlier because he has for years bribed law-enforcement and tax
officials inspecting his businesses. The claim was picked up by
opposition parliamentarians. They also denounced as illegal the fact
that Hakobian was arrested not by the Armenian police but President
Robert Kocharian’s personal security service.