Wednesday, September 11 2013

The civil initiative "Pre-Parliament" has disseminated a statement in connection with release of ex-governor of Syunik region, Surik Khachatryan's, son and bodyguard, Tigran Khachatryan and Zarzand Nikogosyan.  The statement says that this has again discredited justice system in Armenia.

"The criminal regime has again demonstrated that the state government system with all its components, including justice, has turned into an instrument for enthrallment and humiliation of its own people. The case of releasing a man which committed grave crime, as well as the case of criminal prosecution of a serviceman, which protected the honor and dignity of his brother, is more than a blatant injustice", - the statement says. 

The Pre-Parliament thinks that this case as well as  therefusal of sovereignty via joining of the Customs Union, and civil activists abuse by policemen and criminal prosecution of Armenian citizens, in fact mean a war by the authorities against their own people. This war should have an adequate reaction. "The Pre-Parliament calls to self-organization and formation of the parallel structures of power - executive, legislative and judicial, in order to take the power into our own hands at the needed moment and to ensure development of our statehood", - the statement by the Pre-Parliament says. 

To recall, shootouts in front of Syunik Governor Suren Khachatryan's house at 00:10am on June 2 killed former candidate for Goris mayor Avo Budaghyan and wounded his brother Artak Budaghyan, a commander at a military unit in the NKR.  There was another wounded, Nikolay Abrahamyan, a relative and bodyguard of Governor Suren Khachartyan.  A criminal case has been initiated on the basis of Article 103.1 (murder) and Article 235 (illegal use, storage and bearing weapons) of the Criminal Code of Armenia. Syunik Governor Suren Khachatryan's son, Tigran Khachatryan, has been arrested over latest shootouts in Syunik. 
Earlier, the governor's bodyguard Zarzand Nikoghosyan was arrested over the case.  On June 3 Suren Khachatryan sent in his resignation declaring that everyone must answer for their mistakes.  He regretted for failing to prevent the tragic incident near his house.  On July 9, the brother of Avetik Budaghyan was charged with Article 137.1 of the Criminal Code.  Budaghyan denies the accusations against him. He was released on the recognizance not to leave.  Later on September 7, Department for Major Cases, Investigation Service, Defense Ministry of Armenia, set free the son and bodyguard of Surik Khachatryan. The Investigation adopted a resolution saying that Tigran Khachatryan and Zarzand Nikoghosyan acted in self-defense.