18 December 2008, 12:16
Criminal prosecution of four oppositional activists stopped
A number of criminal cases initiated against oppositionists on clashes with the police on March 1 in Yerevan have been closed because of insufficient evidence. Journalists were informed about it by Vaagn Arutyunyan, head of the special investigatory group.
In particular, criminal prosecution was stopped in relation to Aram Sarkisyan and Ararat Zurabyan, chairmen of the opposition parties "Republics" and Armenian Nationwide Movement; Karapet Rubinyan, former vice-speaker of Armenian parliament; and Gurgen Egiazaryan, ex-deputy head of the National Security Service.
At the same time, according to Mr Arutyunyan, the investigatory group has not yet identified all the organizers of disorders on March 1 and all those who committed crimes on that day. Also, the group has not yet made any full-fledged estimate of the legitimacy of police actions.
According to his story, the investigation has performed numerous operative actions, thousands of witnesses were interrogated; searches, confrontations and examinations were made. By the results of investigation, 90 criminal cases against 111 persons have already been sent to court. However, the investigation is far from being over.
Author: Lilit Ovanisyan, CK correspondent
