INVESTIGATION COMPLETED INTO CASES OF ALL 7 PERSONS UNDER PRELIMINARY
ARREST BY CASE ON MARCH 1-2 EVENTS

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Special Investigation Service
(SIS) has completed the investigation into the cases of 7 accused
persons held under preliminary arrest by the criminal case on the March
1-2 events in Yerevan. The period of becoming acquainted with the
criminal case materials has been established. SIS investigator for
especially important cases, head of the investigation group Vahagn
Harutyunian announced this at the September 5 press conference.

According to the investigation body, enough evidence has been obtained
that NA deputies Myasnik Malkhasian, Sasun Mikaelian and Hakob
Hakobian, former foreign minister of Armenia Alexander Arzumanian, as
well as Shant Harutyunian, Grigor Voskerchian and Suren Sirunian
committed actions subject to criminal prosecution. H. Hakobian, A.
Arzumanian, S. Harutyunian, G. Voskerchian and S. Sirunian have been
charged under the RA Criminal Code’s Article 225 Part 3 and Article 300
Part 1: organization of mass disorder accompanied by murder and
usurping state power. In addition to charges envisaged by the above
mentioned articles, M. Malkhasian and S. Mikaelian have been charged
under one of the following articles, respectively: Article 38-316 Part
2 – committing violence (dangerous to life and health) against a
representative of authorities, and Article 235 Part 1 and 2 – illegal
obtaining and keeping of weapons and ammunition with a prior agreement.
Operative search measures are underway to find Nikol Pashinian,
Khachatur Sukiasian, Hamlet Hovhannisian and Virab Manukian who are
wanted by the police.

According to the investigation body, it has been substantiated that "
after the obvious defeat of L. Ter-Petrosian in the February 19, 2008
presidential election, Myasnik Malkhasian, Sasun Mikaelian, Hakob
Hakobian, Alexander Arzumanian, Shant Harutyunian, Grigor Voskerchian,
Suren Sirunian, Nikol Pashinian, Khachatur Sukiasian, Hamlet
Hovhannisian, Virab Manukian and others made sure that it is impossible
for them to come to power by the procedure envisaged by the RA
Constitution, so with the intention and purpose of usurping state power
in Armenia and coming to an agreement, each of them, according to the
role assigned to him, organized and directly took the deliberate
actions aimed at overthrowing the constitutional order by violence and
usurping state power by violence by destabilizing the internal
political situation in the country and ruining the state system."

According to the investigation body, by using various methods: exerting
personal and office influence on their surroundings, compelling, giving
promises and gathering large crowds for certain payments, the above
mentioned persons organized and held mass public events in Yerevan
during a long period after February 20, 2008, during which "by
provocative speeches, calls and demagogical passions, they instigated
the crowd to actions aimed at usurping the state power by violence."
"With the aim of committing mass disorder in Yerevan, the group
members, themselves and through the persons, who had agreed to
cooperate wit them, formed groups of people ready to commit mass acts
of violence and organized the distribution of illegally obtained
fire-arms, ammunition, explosives, as well as various objects for
infliction of bodily injuries. Early in the morning of March 1, at
order of the organizers of the mass events, a large crowd in Liberty
Square offered resistance to representatives of authorities – policemen
with the use of the indicated objects and committed violence dangerous
to life and health." By the charge, Myasnik Malkhasian "himself led the
actions of the crowd offering resistance to policemen." A. Arzumanian,
N. Pashinian and other indicated persons instigated, organized and
diretly headed the mass disorder in the area near Monument to
Myasnikian in Yerevan, they called on people to arm themselves with
objects fit to cause bodily injuries and commit violence against
policemen protecting the public order.

10 people, including 8 civilians, were killed as a result of the mass
disorder. 187 servicemen and policemen, 32 civilians, received
injuries. RA police, citizens and transporting companies suffered
losses of 70,854,525 drams (about 236 thousand dollars) as a result of
the deliberate destruction and plundering of property.

In response to questions, V. Harutyunian said that there is no
contradiction between the announced purpose of the police actions in
Liberty Square – search for arms and ammunition and the purpose of his
decision to open a criminal case – to desperse the demonstration
forcedly: the final aim is noted in the decision which was the
consequence of meeting a resistance and finding arms and ammunition in
the square. V. Harutyunian also said that the investigators know those
persons who carried fire-arms but so far it has been impossible to
reveal who exactly fired the shots that killed and injured people. The
investigation is continuing, expert examinations will be made to reveal
these circumstances.