SYUNIK SHOOT-OUT CASE: ATTORNEY CLAIMS EVIDENCE BEING SLANTED
SOCIETY | 03.07.13 | 16:06
Photolure
Hayk Alumyan By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN ArmeniaNow reporter
The investigative service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia has
postponed the discussion of the motion to recognize Colonel Artak
Budaghyan as an aggrieved party in the controversial shoot-out case
next to the former Syunik governor’s mansion. Defense attorney Hayk
Alumyan has filed a complaint in this concern to the Prosecutor
General.
The attorney claims that the investigator’s decision has no clarity
on why the proofs are not sufficient to recognize Budaghyan, who
suffered a gunshot wound, as a victim in this case. He claims that
an attempt is being made to present the Budaghyans and the detainees
as equally guilty.
On June 2 , in front of then Syunik governor Suren Khachatryan’s
private mansion there was shooting leading to the death of Karabakh
military unit commander Avo Budaghyan, former candidate for Goris
mayoral post; two others were wounded and were hospitalized, among
them Artak Budaghyan (Avo’s brother) and the governor’s bodyguard
Nikolay Abrahamyan. The governor’s son Tigran Khachatryan was taken
into custody as a suspect along with another bodyguard Zarvand
Nikoghosyan, who are now at Nubarashen penitentiary.
Charges of “deliberate murder”, “deliberate heavy damage to health” and
“illegal possession of arms and armament” have been brought against
them. Khachatryan temporarily put down his liabilities of a governor
until the end of the preliminary investigation.
Military Prosecutor of Armenia Gevorg Kostanyan does not rule out
any development, including bringing Artak Budaghyan as a defendant
in this case.
“This is a disgrace: the person clearly has to be seen as the
aggrieved party, but with some justifications they first delay doing
it, then start misleading people into thinking “you know what? He
might actually turn out to be guilty,” Alumyan told RFE/RL.
Another influence on the public opinion might be the edited video
recording posted and circulated immediately after the incident –
one of the surveillance cameras installed at the governor’s house
recorded what happened that day.
The attorney’s main concern is that gradually a mass opinion is formed
that both parties were equally at fault.
“Even the scarce material provided to me shows that right from the
beginning everything possible has been done to aid the other party.
They are trying to create an impression among society in order to
later, I suppose, not shock people by such outcomes when the other
party either fully or partially is relieved of any responsibility,
or receives a very mild punishment,” says Alumyan.
Chairman of the Chamber of Advocates Ruben Sahakyan, who is the
former Syunik governor’s family attorney, told Aravot daily, that the
preliminary investigation is in process, and Hayk Alumyan is not as
well informed about the case details as he is.
“I do not see why Alumyan has arrived at such conclusions, so
far there are no grounds for those, and I believe the preliminary
investigation body has done the right thing. The Prosecutor General
says there was assault and exchange of gunfire and he is not someone
to make unsubstantiated statements without having sufficient facts
to back it with,” said Sahakyan. “My assumptions are based on the
information I gained from the case material provided to me and the
video footage I have at my disposal… mine is the full version of
the one spinning on the internet.”