Category: 2018

The ongoing domestic political developments in Artsakh once again prove that the country is a truly democratic state, presidential spokesperson David Babayan told ARMENPRESS commenting on the recent protests against certain governmental officials.

“This all also showed another important fact also, that the statehood of Artsakh is powerful, and there is no any weakness from the state’s side, and no one can impose its will on it. All of us must unconditionally abide by the law regardless of official position,” he said.

Babayan says the demands of certain political parties on the resignation of President Bako Sahakyan is unclear for him.

“They aren’t waiting until 2020, when the term in office of the president will end. Bako Sahakyan has already said that he won’t seek re-election a third time. I find this demand to be a crazy opinion, but I believe that this has an even deeper problem within, which is fear,” he said.

Babayan stressed that the factor of justice is reflected among the Artsakh people in an extreme way.

“If the president were to announce that he will seek re-election, the people would consider him a target and would say that it is unfair and it is the biggest blow to democracy and statehood. They are concealing their own mistakes and flaws under this all,” Babayan said.

He said that other political forces must come out before the people and present their merits, because it isn’t possible in a small country for a thief to pretend to be from the people’s side.

“Certain political powers are attempting to get hold of state tools in order to clean their own flaw sides, but our people showed that it has great political consciousness,” he said.

Protests began in Stepanakert city earlier in the beginning of June after a few national security agents were involved in a street brawl. Fifteen people were detained by local police in suspicion of being involved in the fight.

The local police chief, director of the national security service and the state minister resigned after the incident.

President Bako Sahakyan held a meeting with the protesters and vowed that all those guilty for the incident will be held to account.

President Armen Sarkissian has signed an order appointing Stepan Melkonyan to serve as deputy director of the National Security Service (NSS).

At the time of the appointment Melkonyan serves as deputy director – head of general department of intelligence.

President Armen Sarkissian held a meeting on June 14 with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.

At the meeting the president said that Armenia is committed to the OSCE Minsk Group-brokered negotiations process.

At the meeting the president said that Armenia is committed to the OSCE Minsk Group-brokered negotiations process and that it will continue efforts aimed at the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Director of Yerevan Foundation Ashot Ghazaryan and deputy head of Yerevan’s Davitashen district Khachatur Kirakosyan have been arrested, the national security service (NSS) confirmed.

“Yes, I am confirming that the director of Yerevan Foundation and deputy head of the Davitashen district have been arrested,” head of the NSS press center Samson Galstyan told ARMENPRESS.

The arrest comes one day after NSS agents raided the office of Yerevan Foundation in the City Hall of the capital.

Three Russian men, passengers of a Moscow-Yerevan flight, brawled with one another upon landing in Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport in the early morning of June 14.

The passengers, 36, 31 and 51, were intoxicated, police said. One of them suffered an injury to the face.

All three have been detained by police officers at 05:20.

Police are looking into the case.

In the framework of the criminal case investigated in the Investigative Division of Malatia-Sebastia administrative district of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee a decision was made to involve the former headmaster of «Primary School N 11 after M. Melkonyan» SNCO R. Azizyan as a defendant for abusing official authorities.

On May 16, 2018 the criminal case initiated in the police division on abusing official authorities by the former headmaster of «Primary School N 11 after M. Melkonyan» SNCO R. Azizyan was received in the proceeding of the Investigative Division of Malatia-Sebastia administrative district of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee.

In the result of investigatory actions of great volume actual data were obtained on the allegation that R. Azizyan holding the position of the headmaster of «Primary School N 11 after M. Melkonyan» SNCO from 2014 to 2017 signed orders to give monetary rewards to a number of employees. The latters received the rewards and returned them to the headmaster in whole or in part as she had required.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence the investigator made a decision to involve her as a defendant for abusing official authorities according to the Part 1 of the Article 308 of RA Criminal Code and search was declared.

Police subdivisions were tasked to take measures to find R. Azizyan and bring her to the investigative body.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing. Measures are taken to provide the comprehensive, complete and objective investigation of circumstances of the case.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.

Preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on violence used against minors in Ayvazovski Street on April 20 was completed in the Investigative Division of Erebuni and Nubarashen administrative districts of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee, charge was pressed against 4 people.

Through preliminary investigation actual data were obtained on the allegation that on April 20, 2018 at about 13:00 a group of people used violence against minors protesting in front of Ayvazovski 29, Yerevan.

Particularly, the protesting minors blocked the right carriageway of the street when a car of “Toyota Corolla» make approached them. A row erupted between the driver, passengers and the minors during which violence were used against minors hitting them with hands and feet on different parts of their bodies.

Besides, the driver of the car of “Toyota Corolla» make hit the resident of Yerevan, minor born in 2001 with a blackjack which he had taken out of the car.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence charge was pressed against 4 people; against S. Hakobyan according to the Part 4 of the Article 258 of RA Criminal Code, G. Azaryan according to the Points 1 and 5 of the Part 3 of the Article 258 of RA Criminal Code, S. Baghdasaryan and V. Mkhitaryan according to the Point 1 of the Part 3 of the Article 258 of RA Criminal Code. Detention was chosen as a pretrial measure against them.

The criminal case with the bill of indictment was sent to prosecutor supervising the legality of preliminary investigation.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.