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    Categories: 2018

Another "wiretapping" appeared in the network: a telephone conversation between the head of the NSS of Armenia and Acting PM Pashinyan

Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 5 2018

ArmInfo. Another "interception" appeared in the network, this time of a telephone  conversation between the head of the National Security Service of  Armenia Artur Vanetsyan and Acting Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan.According to the "tapping", Vaniecian calls Pashinyan and  reports to him that the head of the Special Investigation Service  Sasun Khachatryan wants to arrest the CSTO Secretary General Yuri  Khachaturov in the case of March 1, 2008. At the same time, he is  concerned that this may arise problems with "Russians".

To this, Pashinyan asks: "When? When exactly does he want to arrest  Khachaturov." Vanetsyan responds: "Now," – adding that for the time  being it is possible to postpone the interrogation of Khachaturov, to  complete the interrogation of the second President of the Republic of  Armenia Robert Kocharyan in the framework of the same case: "Let's  still postpone", asks Vanetzian. To which Pashinyan gives a positive  answer, adding that it is necessary to notify in advance (probably  the CSTO member countries, ed.) So that there are no problems."And  what about the other part?"

Pashinyan asks. "On the other part I have  already spoken with Sasun (head of the SSS, ed.), He says that  everything is accurate. But the judge called me, who said he was  somewhat afraid to make a decision on arrest. I told him that I need  to carefully examine the issue , see where the weaknesses are and  report back to me, "says Vaniecian. "Well, then let them postpone the  first part (the case of Khachaturov, ed.), I'm right here, I will  talk to them," says Pashinyan. Vanetzian says that in this case  Kocharyan will be arrested, and with Khachaturov they will  wait.During Vanetsyan's second conversation with Pashinyan, the  acting premier is at the meeting and you can hardly hear: "I am at  the meeting, Arthur, what happened?" "Mr. Prime Minister" Russian  very "hard" endure the arrest of Khachaturov. Representatives and  intelligence and FSB came, they say do not do it. They say that this  is a big slap in the CSTO, the consequences will be grave, they ask  at least to withdraw it first, and then: ""What about the Kocharyan  case?" Pashinyan wondered.

"As for Kocharyan, the case is going on in  court, but Kocharyan will be there," says Vaniecian.Then it comes  back to Khachaturov and Pashinyan is concerned that he may leave the  country and not return if he is not arrested. But Vaniecian is  encouraging, saying that their countries simply will not let him out.  "Let's give him status within the framework of the case, but we will  not arrest him, this will be a big problem. What to do if it is  possible to keep and not arrest, what to do? Mr. Prime Minister,  well, a very big problem, how, for example, arrest NATO Secretary  General "We are undermining the authority of this organization,"  argues Vanetsyan."Okay, talk to Sasun (head of the SIS), and I'll  call you later," notes Pashinyan.The third conversation takes place  between the heads of the  SIS and the National Security Service.  Vanetsyan again says that the Russians are very "hard" to tolerate  the possible arrest of Khachaturov. "There may be serious problems, I  just told the prime minister about this.  The heads of Russian  intelligence and the FSB have just called me and they say that you  are creating there," says Vanetsyan.Sasun Khachatryan asks what to do  in this case, he can use bail as a preventive measure.

"A pledge or a  written undertaking not to leave the place," suggests Vancian.  Khachatryan thinks that the pledge will be correct: "Let there be a  big pledge, so as not to cast doubt on the basis of the case. And  what to do, talk to the judge?" Khachatryan asks, to which Vanetsyan  replies that everything the judge needs will be said . At the same  time, Vanetsyan doubts that Khachaturov can pay a large bail: "Where  does he have so much money?"

"And what will 20 million drams not be able to  pay?" – asks Khachatryan. Nevertheless, Vanetsyan persuades him to  delay with the decision until he speaks again with the Prime  Minister. "I'll tell the judge to delay the decision, or if you want,  tell me," suggests Vanetsyan, however Khachatryan places this  perspective on the head of the National Security Service.It is  noteworthy that Vanetsyan's telephone conversation was tapped while  he was in Switzerland.It should be noted that on September 11, the  first part of the recording of the wiretap of the telephone  conversation between the Director of the National Security Service of  Armenia Artur Vanetsyan and the Head of the Special Investigation  Service Sasun Khachatryan appeared in the network. During the  8-minute conversation, they are discussing the arrest of ex-President  of Armenia Robert Kocharian, as well as criminal cases initiated  against CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov and former Defense  Minister Mikayel Harutyunyan. During the conversation, Vaniecian  confesses: "It seemed to me that the judge who should give the  sentence of arrest called Hrach: He was scared, he said that he had  to see all the grounds before rendering a verdict.

I told him – look at the whole thing, Armenian with the spirit – Ed.) Look,  but Kocharyan should be arrested anyway. "After that, on Facebook,  Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that, perhaps, the  purpose of the interception was political sabotage. Already in the  evening, Nikol Pashinyan said at a rally within the framework of the  election campaign to the Council of Elders of Yerevan that  interception of the heads of the special services was a conspiracy, a  crime against the Armenian statehood. Judge Vache Margaryan himself  stated that he was not acquainted with Vanetsyan and could not call  him.On September 12, the Investigative Committee (IC) of Armenia  accepted into criminal proceedings a criminal case initiated by the  Office for Supervision over the investigation of particularly  important cases of the RA Prosecutor General's Office regarding the  violation of the secrecy of the telephone conversation, recording and  publication of the audio recording. The case was initiated under Part  1 of Art. 146 of the RA Criminal Code and paragraph 4 of part 3 of  Article 254 of the RA Criminal Code. The preliminary investigation is  entrusted to the General Directorate for Investigation of Especially  Important Cases of the Investigative Body.

An investigation team has  been set up and, together with the investigative bodies, the  necessary actions are taken to clarify all the circumstances of the  case, as well as to establish the circle of persons who have  committed the alleged crime. On September 13, the General  Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Armenia on violation of the  secrecy of the telephone conversation, recording and publicizing the  audio recording between the Director of the National Security Service  (NSS) of Armenia Artur Vanetsyan and the Chairman of the Special  Investigation Service (SSS) of Armenia Sasun Khachatryan launched a  new criminal case – under Part 1 of Article . 309 of the RA Criminal  Code (abuse of power).

On the same day, a decision was made in the  National Assembly of Armenia to establish a temporary commission on  the fact of obstructing the administration of justice, violation of  the right to a fair trial and telephone conversation secrets. 

Paul Hambardsumian: