Former Armenian Foreign Minister and former Territorial Administration
Minister accused of laundering illegal funds: New Times leader

Arminfo Agency
2007-05-05 16:36:00

Aram Karapetyan, the leader of the New Times party, told ArmInfo
correspondent that a preliminary charge has been arraigned against the
former Foreign Minister of Armenia, Alik Arzoumanyan, and the former
Minister of Territorial Administration, Vahan Shirkhanyan, for
laundering illegal income during their time in office. Today their
flats and offices have been searched. Both A.Arzoumanyan and
V.Shirkhanyan are members of the Alternative opposition movement.

According to A.Karapetyan, yesterday V.Shirkhanyan was taken to the
National Security Service where he was being questioned till
midnight. A.Karapetyan considers such violent acts a sort of pressure
on the opposition which held a mass meeting in the Liberty Square in
the center of Yerevan on May 3. To remind, 10 thsd people took part in
the meeting. "As the authorities cannot afford directly exerting
pressure on us, they decided to do it with our circle," he said. The
law-enforcement agencies refuse to give any comments. A.Arzoumanyan
and V.Shirkhanyan held their posts in mid 90s. To note, yesterday the
former Chief of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia,
Shahen Petrosyan was cruelly beaten up because he dared to call Gagik
Tsaroukyan, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia party, by his
nickname which is popular among people.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress