POLICEMEN USED DISPROPORTIONATE FORCE ON MARCH 1st, ARTSVIK MINASIAN
EXPRESSES OPINION

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. It is clearly seen is in some
episodes filmed during the March 1 events that policemen used
disproportionate force against citizens, member of the RA National
Assembly Ad Hoc Committee on Inquiry into March 1-2 Events in Yerevan,
member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Artsvik Minasian said at the October
16 press conference. In his words, it is not clear, for example, why
policemen chased people, throwing stones at them in Republic Square
which is pretty far from the place of holding the rally.

Besides, according to him, over 7 months the committee members failed
to find out the purpose of the operation implemented in Liberty Square
on the morning of March 1. He said that the committee is sure of only
one thing: the operation began before 7 am and not at 7 am as the
high-ranking police officials claimed.

As for the statement of the former deputy prosecutor general, currently
imprisoned Gagik Jhangirian to the effect that the creation of a
fact-finding group is a death sentence for the ad hoc committee, S.
Minasian considered this statement as one that "deviates from the
reality". In the opinion of ARF members, the committee worked
efficiently, while the goal of the fact-finding group is to examine the
facts most skilfully.