OMBUDSMAN NOT ENTITLED TO REPLACE HIS REPRESENTATIVE IN FACT-FINDING GROUP

PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.06.2009 16:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Commenting upon RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan’s
claim, coalition representative Robert Avagyan, former member
of the fact-finding group investigating March 1, 2008 incidents,
expressed his agreement over the facts mentioned therein. "I agree
that the fact-finding group is politicized, and there is atmosphere of
intolerance prevailing there. But I don’t understand why Human Rights
Defender pretends to be the Pope of Rome, considering himself the
symbol of innocence," he said. Agreeing with Ombudsman’s statement,
Avagyan noted that coalition members "took up a job they’d never done
before". "That’s true, Gevorg Tovmasyan and I found that authorities,
namely, investigative bodies and Prosecutor’s Office, had already
said what they had to say, and in such situation, it was necessary
to give opposition a chance to work," Avakyan added, noting that
such step should be welcomed instead of being condemned. With all
his respect for his former student’s knowledge of law, Mr. Avagyan
stressed that Ombudsmen was not properly familiarized with President’s
decree. "The document clearly states that all 5 members of the group
can be replaced. It doesn’t contain any clause on Ombudsman’s being
entitled to appoint a new government," coalition member said.