10 CRIMINAL ACTIONS BROUGHT ON FACTS OF VIOLATIONS FIXED DURING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Noyan Tapan
May 15 2007
YEREVAN, MAY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. As of May 15, the legal bodies got 26
written reports from natural and legal persons concerning violations
fixed during the RA National Assembly elections. 10 criminal actions
were brought as a result of their discussion. As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the RA Prosecutor’s General Office, besides the written
reports got from natural and legal bodies, on the initiative of the
Prosecutor’s Office, materials were prepared based on 17 publications
of press.
The brought criminal actions are:
1. Resident of the city of Vayk Gerasim Zhora Margarian presented
a report on April 4, 2007, to the Vayk Department of the Police of
the Republic of Armenia that at about 22:30 of the previous day,
April 3, he was beaten in the territory of the Vorskan Taron unit by
Bagrat Bagratian, the son of Sergey Bagratian, a candidate for deputy
nominated at electoral district No39 by the majoritarian electoral
system by the Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) party, and
his two friends. G. Margarian mentioned in his explanation that
he was beaten for propaganda against S. Bagratian, a candidate for
deputy. Based on the results of discussion of the materials prepared
at the Vayots Dzor Investigation Department of the Police of the
Republic of Armenia, a criminal action was brought on April 9, 2007,
based on Article 117 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia,
a preliminary investigation is held.
2. The entrance door of the room of the pre-electoral territorial
office of the Bargavach Hayastan party, on the ground floor of
the many-storied dwelling house No39, in the street of Narekatsi,
Avan district, was blown up with the help of an explosive, placed
by an unkwon man at about 05:30 of April 12, 2007. Finacial damage
was done in the consequence of the explosion. A criminal action was
brought on April 12, 2007, on the occasion of the case at the Nor Nork
Investigation Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia,
based on Point 1, Part 2, Article 185 and Part 1, Article 235 of the
Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. An investigation group was
founded, preliminary examination is held.
3. The entrance door of the room of the Bargavach Hayastan party
office placed in the address of Davit Anhaght 2, community of
Kanaker-Zeytun was blown up by an unknown person at about 03:55 of
April 12, 2007. Financial damage was done in the consequence of the
explosion. A criminal action was brought on the same time, on the
occasion of the case at the Kanaker-Zeytun Investigation Department of
the Police of the Republic of Armenia. The action was brought based on
Point 1, Part 2, Article 185 and Part 1, Article 235 of the Criminal
Code of the Republic of Armenia. An examination group was founded,
a preliminary investigation is held.
4. A report was got on April 11, 2007, at the Artik Investigation
Department of the Police that at about 12:00 of the same day
citizens of the city of Artik K. Petoyan, H. Hakobian, Z. Havasian
and B. Petoyan argued with citizens of the same city V. Manukian and
S. Poghosian for about 10 minutes, beat them, causing bodily injuries,
at the Artik market for tearing out from the window of the Bargavach
Hayastan party office placed on the ground floor of the building in
the address of Sasuntsi Davit 45, the city of Artik, candidate for
National Assembly deputy Mushegh Turinj Petoyan’s photo fastened on
the previous day. A criminal action was brought on the occasion of
the case on April 11, 2007, at the Artik Investigation Department of
the Police of the Republic of Armenia. The action was brought based on
Point 1, Part 3, Article 258 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of
Armenia. By the decision of April 22, 2007, the accusation presented
earlier to K Petoyan, based on Point 1 and 4, Part 3, Article 258 of
the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia was changed and a new
accusation was presented, based on Part 1, Article 113 of the Criminal
Code of the Republic of Armenia. Taking into consideration that the
defendant conciliated with injured S. Poghosian and V. Manukian,
a decision was made on the same day on quashing the criminal action
and stopping prosecution towards Karen Petoyan.
5. A report was got on April 7, 2007 at the Vagharshapat Investigation
Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia, from citizen of
Vagharshapat A. Ghazarian that at about 15:00 of the same day, Hakob
Rafik Hakobian, a deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic
of Armenia, kidnapped his father, by using violence. It was found
out with the help of the materials prepared at the Vagharshapat
Investigation Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia
that H. Hakobian with his driver and a Haykaz made S. Ghazarian
sit in the black BMW car belonging to H. Hakobian and took him to
cottage No4 of the Zvartnots restaurant complex of the district of
Zvartnots. According to S. Ghazarian’s report, H. Hakobian promised
to give him 5000 U.S. dollars if his son, Vanik Ghazarian, did not go
to the April 9 sitting of the Court of First Instance of the marz of
Armavir and did not give evidence to the detriment of H. Hakobian. The
issue of legality of Hakob Rafik Hakobian’s registration as a deputy
candidate at electoral district No19 was to be discussed during
the court sitting. Based on the materials got at the Prosecutor’s
Office of the marz of Armavir, a criminal action was brought, based
on Point 1, Part 2, Article 131 of the Criminal Code of the Republic
of Armenia, preliminary investigation is held. A decision was made
on April 13, 2004 to involve Nshan Aslanian as a defendant, based on
Point 1, Part 2, Article 131 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of
Armenia. N. Aslanian is accused of kidnapping S. Ghazarian, reaching
preliminary agreement with Hakob Rafik Hakobian.
6. Grisha Yasha Virabian, a candidate for deputy from electoral
district No17 of the city of Artashat, nominated at the National
Assembly elections of the Republic of Armenia by the majoritarian
electoral system presented a report on May 1, 2007 to the Artashat
Police Department and stated that at the night of May 1 some Mihran,
Ruben and Edik tore out 2 propaganda posters fastened in August 23
street of the city of Artashat and 1 propaganda poster fastened in
the Yerevanian street of the same city, doing damage of 120 thousand
drams. On the occasion of the report, materials were prepared at
the Police Investigation Department of the marz of Ararat and, by
the decision of May 4, 2007, a criminal action was brought, based on
Point 1, Part 2, Article 177 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of
Armenia. A preliminary investigation is held.
7. Mels Srap Petrosian, the Chairman of the pre-electoral office
of the Nzhdeh community center of S. Balasanian, a candidate for
National Assembly deputy from the Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law)
party made a statement at about 14:00 of May 10, 2007 at the Gyumri No2
Police Department that during the period of time from 22:00, May 9,
2007 to 13:30, May 10, 2007, an unknown person attempted to fire the
Orinats Yerkir party office functioning in front of Lazo street No41,
the city of Gyumri. A criminal action was brought on the occasion of
the case on May 10, 2007, at the Shirak Investigation Department of
the Police of the Republic of Armenia. The action was brought based
on Point 1, Part 2, Article 185 of the Criminal Code of the Republic
of Armenia. A preliminary investigation is held.
8. Sasun Mikayelian, a candidate for deputy of the National Assembly
of the Republic of Armenia, nominated by the majoritarian electoral
system at electoral district No 25, informed the Prosecutor’s
Office of the marz at about 03:00, of May 10, 2007 that according
to information of his pre-electoral office, citizen of the city
of Hrazdan Bella Melkonian gave money as electoral bribe in the
Microregion district of the city of Hrazdan. Materials were prepared
at the Prosecutor’s Office of the marz on the occasion of the report
and a criminal action was brought on May 10, 2007, based on Point 2,
Part 2, Article 154 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia,
a preliminary investigation is held.
9. Citizen of the village of Khachpar, the marz of Ararat, Khristapor
Suren Babajanian presented a report to the Masis Police Department
that at about 00:30 of May 13, he with his friend Babken Stepanian
were at polling station 16/06 at secondary school No1 of the city
of Masis. He and B. Stepanian are supporters of Tigran Stepanian,
a candidate for deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of
Armenia nominated by the majoritarian electoral system. A person, who
come out of the Jeep car approached to them at the mentioned time,
pulled them and fired a shot. Another person also fired during the
arisen alarm, after what the car left the place of accident. As a
result of observation of the place of incident on the occasion of the
report, a cartridge-case of a shot-gun was found and it was found out
that glasses of the car were broken. A criminal action was brought
at the Police Investigation Department of the marz of Masis on the
occasion of the case, based on Part 4, Article 258 of the Criminal Code
of the Republic of Armenia. It was found out by the held preliminary
examination that the Jeep Shanghai car with the 22 OU 009 state
registration number is registered under the name of Samvel Sahakian,
a candidate for deputy of the same electoral district. K. Avetisian,
an employee of the Masis Tobacco LTD security service drove it. Chief
of the same service Mushegh Lalazarian, who fired from a Saigon gun,
was near him. Two guns were taken. M. Lalazarian was arrested.
10. Artak Babakhanian, a legal advisor of Rustam Gasparian, a candidate
for deputy of electoral district No 21 made a report at the Armavir
Police Department that two citizens gave electoral bribes in the
Baghramian street of the city of Armavir, at about 11:00 of May 12,
2007. The mentioned people were invited to R. Gasparian’s pre-electoral
office and it was found out that the latters were Yeghishe Sargsian
and Mher Ghandilian. It was found out that the first from them had
14 passports and lists filled in with data of 45 persons.
Y. Sargsian and M. Ghandilian gave an explanation at the police that
they were taken to R. Gasparian’s pre-electoral office by force,
where they were beaten. They disproved the circumstance of giving an
electoral bribe to anybody.
Materials were prepared on the occasion of the case at the Police
Investigation Department of Armavir and a criminal action was brought
on May 15, 2007, based on Part 2, Article 34-154 2 of the Criminal
Code of the Republic of Armenia. A preliminary investigation is held.
It was refused to bring criminal actions on other 3 cases as the
done damages were of small size, the person committed the crime was
a juvenile.
Discussion of other 10 reports is still in process.