CRIMINAL CASE OPENED BASED ON FACT OF MURDER COMMITTED BY POLICEMEN
DURING ARREST OF CRIMINAL
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan prosecutor’s office opened a
criminal case based on the fact of the murder committed by policemen
during the arrest of a criminal. An investigation is underway, NT
correspondent was informed by Sona Truzian, spokeswoman for the RA
Prosecutor General. The chief of the RA Police ordered an internal
investigation in connection with the case.
According to a press relase of the RA Police PR and Information
Department, at about 00.05 am on June 7, several employees of Yerevan
criminal investigation department tried to stop a Mercedes car (license
plate 06 SO 587) in 1st street of Yerevan’s Noragavit district on
suspicion of transporting drugs but the driver "did not obey the order
of policemen, drove back his car, hitting another car, then he drove in
the policemen’s direction, endangering their lives and injuring a
policeman in the leg." According to the press release, after firing
warning shots in the air, the policemen starting firing in the car
tyres. One of the bullets wounded the driver who was immediately taken
to "Yerevan" medical center where he died.
The press release says that during the examination of the car and body,
30 grams of a substance looking like a narcotic drug in several packs,
as well as a syringe filled with unhydride were found. Besides, license
plates of another car and a driving license of another person were
found in the car. The police revealed that the killed driver was Armen
Melikian, 31, who lived at 45 Kilikia district (Yerevan), while the car
belonged to another person. A. Melikian was convicted twice: in 1995 –
for theft, in 2003 – for hooliganism and resisting arrest.