REPORT ON KIDNAPPING TWO EMPOWERED PEOPLE OF LEVON TER-PETROSIAN REFUTED BY EXPLANATIONS INTRODUCED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES

Noyan Tapan
Feb 21, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The report on the kidnapping of
the two empowered people of Levon Ter-Petrosian, an RA presidential
candidate, taking them to "Harsnakar" hotel complex, giving them a good
hiding and keeping them in the cellar of the complex for an hour, which
was spread by mass media, and the report and explanations introduced
to law enforcement bodies essentially differ in their contents. This
statement was made by Sona Truzian, the Spokesperson of the RA
Prosecutor General, in his interview with a Noyan Tapan correspondent.

The Avan Police Section received a report at about 14:30 on February
19 by a person, who called himself Robert Sanoyan, the plenipotentiary
representative of the pre-electoral headquarters of the candidate,
according to which unknown people in a black Jeep car kidnapped two
of the empowered people of Levon Ter-Petrosian: Arsen Khanamirian
and Garik Ghazarian, in Polling Station 1/04, which is situated in
the administrative territory of Avan. The same report was received
on the hot line of the RA Prosecutor General’s Office as well.

Hakob Sargsian, an empowered person of Levon Ter-Petrosian, who came to
the police station at the invitation of the Chief of the Avan Police
Section, stated that he has been told about the kidnapping of Arsen
Khanamirian by unknown people by the brother of Arsen Khanamirian:
Armen Khanamirian, however, after a while the very empowered person
called him and said that he is in the polling station. H. Sargsian
called Arsen Khanamirian from the section by his mobile phone,
offered him to come to the police station and make a report, however,
the latter refused.

H. Sargsian also mentioned that there is no empowered person named
Garik Ghazarian in the headquarters of Levon Ter-Petrosian.