BENEFITS THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE FIRST?

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[09:30 pm] 30 October, 2008

RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan received today newly appointed
Special Representative of the CE Secretary General to Armenia Silva
Jehe.

According to the prosecutor’s office press release, the sides discussed
the legal-juridical reforms, process of completion of the 1609 and
1620 resolutions of the CE Monitoring Commission and the cooperation
between the prosecutor’s office, the NA temporary commission and the
fact-finding group.

The RA Prosecutor General presented in general the process, results
and difficulties of the preliminary investigation of the case on the
mass events of March 1 and gave a high evaluation of the formation
of the fact-finding group.

"The fact-finding group’s activity is first and foremost to the benefit
of the prosecutor’s office," assured the Prosecutor General noting that
the prosecutor’s office will be grateful if the fact-finding group
manages to get new facts, which will contribute to the clarification
of the 10 murder cases and physical injuries of 250 people and the
revelation of the criminals.

Hovsepyan added that during the 6 months of preliminary investigation
the prosecutor’s office has filed 89 criminal cases regarding 104
individuals and nearly 10 of the cases are in the inquiry stage. Seven
people are currently under preliminary imprisonment and only one
accused has managed to get acquainted with the materials for the
criminal case in the course of 50 days.

Considering the persecutions for political views or activities as
impermissible, the RA Prosecutor General noted that the principle
laid in the groundwork of the Monitoring Commission’s resolution
is diverged and an attempt is being made to conceal the crimes. A
person can not be brought to justice for political actions, but that
doesn’t mean that the person involved in political activities can
not be brought to justice for committing a criminal act.