Preliminary Investigation Ended up in `Suicide’
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 17:49:13 – 24/06/2011
The detective of the Defense Ministry’s investigative service Levon
Petrosyan announced yesterday that the preliminary investigation of
the case of Artak Nazaryan who died in the military unit of Mehrabner,
Tavush Region, and the case will be sent to court. The preliminary
investigation concluded that Artak was induced to a suicide.
The investigation lasted for over 11 months, the records are in 9
volumes. Attorneys Seda Safaryan and Mushegh Shushanyan who have been
notified on the end of the preliminary investigation have asked for
time to be exposed to the materials of the case after which they will
file necessary petitions.
The court which will judge the case is not known yet but it is clear
that the trial of this case will produce strong resonance among local
and international human rights organizations. Artak Nazaryan’s family
disagrees with the investigative body’s conclusion on suicide, they
are sure that their son was killed.
The lawyers engaged in the preliminary proceedings lasting for 11
months have regularly reported breaches and shortcomings but were
unable to influence the course of the proceedings.
The preliminary investigative body refused to provide the `suicide
note’ and diary for an alternative graphology test, thereby limiting
the rights of the injured party and their representatives, though we
witnessed the ease with which the same note was put to public debate.
The only change to the criminal case was instigated by the military
prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan, he increased the number of accused from 4
to 5, which, however, did not affect the essence of the case. On April
6 the preliminary investigative body engaged Lieutenant Vahagn
Hairapetyan as accused to the case. In the presence of the base
personnel he used violence on Artak Nazaryan, hit him in his face and
different parts of the body chaotically, causing grave consequences.
Captain Hakob Manukyan and 3 private soldiers have been arrested. They
are suspects in the proceedings launched under Art.110 Para1. The
captain is suspected of committing the crime provided by Art.375 Para2
of the Criminal Code. The privates are suspected of committing the
crime provided by Art.358 Para3 of the Criminal Code.
Janna Alexanyan