Wednesday, February 5 2020 17:26

ArmInfo.n the National Security Service of Armenia an investigation team has been created  to work on the allocated part of the October 27, 1999 terrorist attack in  parliament (the case concerns the alleged organizers of the terrorist  attack). Thus, the Prosecutor's Office partially granted the request  of the legal successor of the victim in the case on October 27,  Anahit Bakhshyan. The NSS reported this at the request of the state  news agency Armenpress.

As regards Bakhshyan's other petition, in which she asked to transfer  the criminal case from the NSS to the SIS, the Prosecutor's Office  noted that it was rejected. <The refusal is motivated by the fact  that the decision to transfer of proceedings to the NSS investigative  department is fully consistent with the rules of the Investigative  Subordination. The criminal procedure for the challenge was  explained. According to it, the challenge may not be presented to the  investigating authority, but to the investigator conducting the  proceedings. Meanwhile, the application did not provide arguments on  the existence of grounds. It was also noted that, based on  considerations of ensuring the objectivity, usefulness and  versatility of the investigation, investigators of the RA  Investigative Committee are also involved in the investigation team  conducting the proceedings, "the Prosecutor's Office said.

On December 18, 2019, Anahit Bakhshyan appealed to the Prosecutor  General's Office with a request to cancel the decision to terminate  the investigation in the allocated part of the case on October 27 and  start a new investigation. Bakhshyan's petition was granted, the  decision of the preliminary investigation body of November 11, 2004  to terminate the criminal proceedings was canceled, and the  preliminary investigation in the criminal case was entrusted to the  NSS.

It should be noted that on October 27, 1999, a group of people led by  Nairi Hunanyan, bursting into the parliament, shot and killed Prime  Minister of Armenia Vazgen Sargsyan,  Speaker of the National  Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Karen Demirchyan, Vice-Speakers  of RA NA Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan,  Minister of Operational  Affairs Leonard Petrosyan and thMPsof Armenak Armenakyan, Mikayel  Kotanyan and Henrik Abrahamyan. The terrorist group included former  journalist Nairi Hunanyan, his brother Karen Hunanyan, their uncle  Vram Galstyan, as well as Derenik Bejanyan and Ashot Knyazyan.

The trial of them began on February 15, 2001 and lasted three years.  Neither the preliminary investigation nor the court proceedings  allowed a definitive answer to the question of whether the terrorists  acted independently or if someone was behind them. On December 2,  2003, the Center-Nork-Marash trial court sentenced Nairi and Karen  Hnanyan brothers, Edik Grigoryan, Vram Galstyan (in 2004, according  to the official version, committed suicide), Derenik Bejanyan and  Ashot Knyazyan to life imprisonment. Hamlet Stepanyan was sentenced  to 14 years in prison (In May 2010, his body was found in his bed in  the Nubarashen detention center). All seven were found guilty of  treason and terrorism. The Court of Cassation of Armenia upheld the  verdict.