ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2007

Prosecutor’s office of Armenia to carry out no more preliminary
investigation starting December 1

YEREVAN, October 11. /ARKA/. The Prosecutor’s Office of Armenia will
carry out no more preliminary investigation starting December 1 to
promote more efficient implementation of the constitutional
competence of the prosecutor’s office and supervision over legality
of preliminary investigation and inquest, Prosecutor General of
Armenia Aghvan Hovsepian said at his meeting with the CE Commissioner
for Human Rights Thomas Hammerberg.

Currently Armenia is at the second stage of reforms in the
prosecution system to increase the level of independence of
prosecutor’s office, the Press Secretary of Prosecutor’s Office of
Armenia Sona Truzian told ARKA news agency.

Hovsepian pointed out the particular importance of transferring the
right to appoint Prosecutor general to the law-making body of the
country, which sets guarantees for independence of Prosecutor’s
Office.

Hammerberg pointed out the importance of the reforms and particularly
the new procedure for appointing Prosecutor General. He also
addressed the use of non-proper methods in the investigation process.
Hovsepian said that legal proceedings are instituted to investigate
these cases in detail.

The sides also addressed the issues of penal policies on criminal
cases and extradition.

Hammerberg reported his intention to submit a package of proposals to
the Government of Armenia and communicate his observations to the
Office of Prosecutor General. -0–