AGHVAN HOVSEPYAN: "NO ONE WAS SHOT BY SHARPSHOOTER"
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[07:50 pm] 21 November, 2008
Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan today
received the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe
Thomas Hammarberg
At the meeting the parties discussed issues related to the
preliminary investigation results of the criminal case on the fact
of mass disorders in Yerevan on March 1-2, cooperation between the
Prosecutor’s office, National Assembly’s interim commission and ad-hoc
fact-finding group.
A. Hovsepyan informed that as to November 21,under preliminary
detention are 7 persons, the parts of the criminal case on them
were completed on September and was decided time frame for them to
get familiar with materials of the criminal case. On the grounds
of petition of the defence, by the prosecutor, who implements
the procedural supervision over the legality of the preliminary
investigation, two times the decided time was prolonged. Now, the
accused and their advocates are given time to get familiar with real
evidences and the issue of passing the criminal case to the court
will be decided after the accused and their advocates get familiar
with materials of the criminal case and consideration of possible
petition. The Prosecutor General assured that when the criminal case
is sent to the court, the publicity will be provided.
By the request of Commisioner of the human rights, the Prosecutor
General touched upon the issue of assessment the lawfulness and
ratability of police actions during the mentioned events. He
informed that in March he instructed the body, which carried out
the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, to investigate
the lawfulness of actions not only of police but of concrete police
officers. Were interrogated police officers and servicemen of police
forces, totally 500 people, were confiscated a number of documents,
including police journals, firearms and special devices, attached to
policemen and servicemen of police forces.
The preliminary investigation found out that among the servicemen of
police forces was one sharpshooter, who was interrogated in June. But
the examination of pistols, by which people were wounded and killed,
showed that none of them was shot by the gun of the sharpshooter.
Speaking about the used special devices, the Prosecutor General
mentioned that by the words of examination institutions in Armenia, the
current methods of examinations do not let to conduct identification
and the help of international experts is still needed. T. Hammarberg
informed that this issue was discussed with some foreign experts
and will give contacts of one of well-experienced expert from Great
Britain, who may help Armenian experts and preliminary investigation
body.
The Prosecutor General charged to organise the invitation of the
expert.
Touching upon the cooperation with the ad-hoc fact-finding group,
the Prosecutor General assured that the Prosecutor’s office is ready
to necessary amount of information to the group, as he did in a case
of the National Assembly’s interim commission. At the same time,
he expressed a hope that the fact-finding group will be able really
to find facts, which will help the preliminary investigation to find
out some issues and circumstances. "Different persons, powers make
statements that they have a number of facts, but do not give them to
the body of the preliminary investigation, because they do not trust
it. Is established an independent fact-finding group, consisted of
experts, and, I think, there are no grounds not to trust this group,
and I hope that all these materials will be given to this group",-
said the Prosecutor General, mentioning that the Prosecutor’s office
will be grateful, as it will help to provide full and multilateral
investigation.