TWO ARRESTED ARMENIAN OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS CHARGED WITH RESISTING AUTHORITIES

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
February 26, 2008
Russia

Former Armenian Deputy Prosecutor General Gagik Dzhangirian and
former head of the tax agency Smbat Aivazian, who backed opposition
candidate for the Armenian presidency, former Armenian president
Levon Ter-Petrosian, have been charged with using violence against
authorities.

Both Dzhangirian and Aivazian offered resistance to officers of the
main anti-organized crime department of the Armenian Police and were
charged with this, the Armenian Police told Interfax.

Dzhangirian, who openly backed Ter-Petrosian, was dismissed in line
with a presidential decree. Aivazian, a high-ranking official in
the times of Ter-Petrosian rule, is a member of the Republic radical
opposition party, which backs the former Armenian president.

Dzhangirian, his brother Vardan and two other citizens were detained
on Saturday. Firearms, a knife, handcuffs and a bullet proof vest were
found in a search in Dzhangirian’s car. Vardan Dzhangirian offered
resistance during his detention and was wounded. Two policemen were
injured in the incident as well.

Aivazian and two people earlier convicted were detained in similar
circumstances. Firearms and a club were found in a search in Aivazian’s
car, police said.

Criminal cases were opened into these instances. The investigation
has been underway.

Chairman of the Democratic Motherland party Petros Makeyan,
suspected of hindering the work of a regional elections commission,
was apprehended on Monday morning, the Armenian Prosecutor General’s
Office told Interfax. Democratic Motherland is one of more than 20
small parties that backed Ter-Petrosian.

According to the investigation, Makeyan and two other supporters
of Ter-Petrosian hindered the work of the elections commission by
starting a brawl with its chairman. A criminal case was opened into
the incident.