POLICE USED RESIDUAL ARMS ON MARCH 1
A1+
05:33 pm | April 10, 2009
Politics
"I do share public concern over the last March unrest, but I don’t
share the belief that there are illegally detained people and political
prisoners in Armenia," during today’s press conference Serzh Sargysan
said in reply to A1+’s question referring to the implementation
of PACE Resolution 1643, fair trial of March 1 arrestees, illegal
detentions, release of political prisoners, as well as restoration
of A1+’s violated right.
A1+ wondered whether Serzh Sargsyan is not going to exercise his
constitutional right and grant amnesty to the detainees of the March
1 events.
"I am confident that a president must exercise his right after a trial
is over. Nothing is excluded. But I haven’t heard a president declare
about his intention to announce an amnesty in a week or so. Time will
show," said Mr. Sargsyan.
Then he reminded that he had already granted pardon to a few detainees.
With regard to the March 1 deadly clashes Serzh Sargsyan said: "Nobody
has said that neither the authorities nor law-enforcers should bear
responsibility for the events. But the authorities were to ban mass
disorders in the city centre. If the demonstrators hadn’t used force,
the police wouldn’t have responded adequately."
(We wonder why none of the demonstrators has been brought to trail
for using a firearm).
Serzh Sargsyan says the police simply didn’t demonstrate professional
skills on March 1, 2008, and were fewer in number. Besides, the
firearms were overdue, as the police used residual weapons of the army.
Asked why no policeman has been brought to justice for the murder of
the ten victims, Serzh Sargsyan noted that suits have been instituted
but they lack evidence to prove their crimes.
Finally, Serzh Sargsyan concluded that everyone, besides the
authorities, is guilty of the March 1 events.