RA NA TO CONTINUE DUSCUSSION OF BILL ON "SPECIAL INVESTIGATION SERVICE" BY FIRST READING ON NOVEMBER 5

Noyan Tapan
Nov 5, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The discussion of the bill on
"Special Investigation Service" and proceeding from it the package
of amendmends and addenda in the Criminal Code and Code of Criminal
Trial by the first reading will be continued in the November 5
special sitting of the RA National Assembly. According to this bill
it is offered to create an investigation body, which will conduct the
preliminary investigation on criminal cases in connection with the
crimes committed by high-ranking officials themselves or by the latters
as accessories, as well as in connection with electoral processes.

According to the bill, the President of the Republic of Armenia is
entitled to appoint the post of the head of the service and relieve
it with the presentation of the Prosecutor General. The supervision
over the legality of the preliminary investigation conducted by the
Special Investigation Service will be implemented by the RA Prosecutor
General and the prosecutors empowered by him.

According to David Haroutiunian, the Chairman of the National
Assembly’s Standing Committee on State Legal Issues, it is inadmissible
that the Prosecutor General enjoys the nomination right for appointing
and relieving the post of the head of the Service, at the same time
implementing supervision over the same body. He also mentioned that
the committee agrees to the fact that the above-mentioned service
cannot have absolute competences. However, David Haroutiunian regards
the adoption of the package of bills by the first reading principally
possible if the latter is completely developed by the second reading.

It should be mentioned that according to the amendments and addenda
made in the RA Code on Criminal Trial, the RA President, the NA
Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the NA Vice
Speakers, the Chairmen of the Standing Committees, MPs, the Chairman
of the Constitutional Courtand its members, the Chairmen and judges
of the RA courts, the Heads of the staff of the President of the
country, of the National Assembly and of the staffs of the government,
the Ministers and their deputies, the regional governors and their
deputies, the Mayor of Yerevan and his deputies, the Chairman and
members of the Control Chamber, the Chairman and the members of the
RA Central Electoral Commission, the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman
of the National Statistical Service are considered to be heads of
the bodies of the legislative, executive, and judicial power.