ARMEN HAROUTIUNIAN: REPRESENTATIVES OF OPPOSITION AND POWER ARE EQUALLY TO BLAME FOR FACT-FINDING COMMITTEE’S FAILURE

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The activity of fact-finding committee
of experts on study of the cases of mass disorders of 2008 March
1-2 in Yerevan failed, and representatives of both the opposition
and the authorities are equally to blame for it. RA Ombudsman Armen
Haroutiunian said in his interview to the Shant TV company. According
to him, representatives of opposition and ruling coalition brought
the atmosphere of intolerance reduced to extremity to the fact-finding
committee, did not act as independent experts, and it was impossible
to carry out fact-finding committee’s mission under the circumstances.

A. Haroutiunian considers that some media publications had a very
negative impact on committee’s activity: in particular, press tried
to make unique commentaries having nothing in common with committee’s
documents.

Under the circumstances A. Haroutiunian considers that fact-finding
committee’s general conclusion cannot be even spoken about, and
the only possible legal way is that each of fact-finding committee
members should present his individual conclusion on committee’s 6-7
months’ activity.