CRIME RATE DOWN IN ARMENIA – PROSECUTOR-GENERAL’S OFFICE

Armenian Second TV Channel, Yerevan
25 Jul 07

[Presenter] A sitting of the board of the Prosecutor-General’s
Office was held today. The results of the first half of 2007
were summed up. The crime rate in the country is down; however,
the Prosecutor-General’s Office is unhappy about the rate of the
solved crimes. They are also unhappy with the courts of first
instance and the Court of Appeals. High-profile murders were also
discussed. It has emerged that it was Hayk Israyelyan who had killed
[high-ranking tax official] Shahen Hovasapyan and Goga Arakelyan,
known in the criminal circles. [Former Yerevan district mayor’s son]
Sedrak Zatikyan’s murder is also among those solved.

[Correspondent] According to the figures of this year’s first half,
the crime rate has dropped in the republic. However, the rate of the
solved crimes has also decreased.

[Mnatsakan Sargsyan, deputy prosecutor general, speaking at the
meeting] The rate of the solved crimes has decreased by 6.7 per cent
in the first half of this year. While 83.8 per cent of the crimes
were solved last year, this year’s rate is 77 per cent.

[Correspondent] The prosecutor general is concerned: the rate of crimes
committed by juveniles has increased. Such cases should be examined
thoroughly to find out those who have pushed them to commit crimes;
their parents too should be examined.

[Mnatsakan Sargsyan] We have a permanently operating joint commission
with the Education and Science Ministry under the board’s instruction,
and once a year, the commission summarizes its work paying attention to
the regions and communities where [juvenile crime rate] has increased.

[Passage omitted: more instructions given to the commission to find
out reasons for the growth in juvenile crime]

[Correspondent] While the rate of serious crimes is down, the rate of
other crimes is up. The number of women sentenced for serious crimes
is also down.

The Prosecutor General’s Office says some high-profile murders have
been solved. Special investigators have established that the same
person, Hayk Israyelyan, had killed both Shahen Hovasapyan and Goga
Arakelyan, while another person, Suren Harutyunyan, was sentenced
for killing Goga Arakelyan.

[Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan] Hayk Israyelyan is the immediate
perpetrator of that murder. The accomplice, who was sentenced, had
just assumed the responsibility.

[Passage omitted: investigation details]

[Correspondent] Only half of the persons announced missing has
been found.

[Passage omitted: Prosecutor General’s Office says courts are slow;
some prosecutors hide real crime rate numbers to show a better picture]