PROSECUTORS SET TO SEEK JAIL TERM FOR DETAINED MP
By Karine Kalantarian
Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Oct 10 2006
Armenian prosecutors looked set on Tuesday to press criminal charges
against a pro-government parliamentarian arrested for armed assault and
ask the National Assembly to lift his legal immunity from prosecution.
A source in Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General told RFE/RL
that Prosecutor-General Aghvan will likely approach the assembly for
that purpose later this week.
Hakob Hakobian, a member of the People’s Deputy parliamentary group,
remained in custody for a third consecutive day over his role in
Sunday’s reported mass brawl and shootout outside a natural gas
distribution station south of Yerevan. Law-enforcement authorities
say Hakobian ordered a large group of men accompanying him to attack
security guards that prevented him from entering the facility. They
say at least four people were seriously injured in the melee.
The lawmaker, his driver and two other associates were arrested on
the spot and taken to a maximum-security basement jail in downtown
Yerevan which is mainly used by the National Security Service, the
Armenian successor to the KGB. Under Armenian law, the prosecutors
can not keep him under arrest without the parliament’s consent for
more than 72 hours.
According to Samvel Nikoyan, a senior member of the governing
Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), the parliament will likely
meet for an emergency session on Friday to decide whether to allow
Hakobian’s prosecution on relevant charges. This means that Hakobian
will apparently be released from jail by Wednesday evening.
Armenian law also requires law-enforcement bodies to immediately
inform the parliament speaker about a lawmaker’s arrest. Speaker Tigran
Torosian said he received a written notification from Hovsepian only
on Monday afternoon, almost 14 hours after the arrest.
The prosecutor-general admitted his "mistake" and promised to provide
"additional explanations" in the coming days, Torosian told RFE/RL.
Hakobian, who is also a wealthy businessman, would become the
first member of the current National Assembly to face prosecution
and the possibility of imprisonment. A decision to strip him of the
constitutionally guaranteed immunity has to be taken by the majority
of fellow lawmakers in a secret ballot.
The outcome of such a vote will be by no means certain even if
President Robert Kocharian pressures his loyal parliament majority
to let the authorities put on Hakobian on trial. Many of its members
are themselves wealthy entrepreneurs with questionable reputations.
Besides, Hakobian recently joined the HHK and will therefore count on
the backing of its two top leaders, Prime Minister Andranik Markarian
and Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian. Some observers speculate that
the case could deepen alleged friction between Kocharian and Sarkisian.
Meanwhile, another, smaller party represented in Kocharian’s
government, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun),
signaled its readiness to vote for Hakobian’s prosecution. "If this
is an attempt to end the existing atmosphere of impunity and make
everyone equal before the law, then it is welcome," Vahan Hovannisian,
a Dashnaktsutyun leader and deputy parliament speaker, told a news
conference.
"We have nothing against Hakob Hakobian, and we can not assume the
duties of a judge or prosecutor and try to justify or incriminate him,"
he said. "That is to be investigated by relevant bodies."