March 1 case: those guilty remain unpunished - premier 

ArmInfo.The March 1 2008 case (tragic events in Armenia's capital) has been solved, but those guilty have not so far been punished, Armenia's Premier Nikol Pashinyan told reporters on Wednesday. 

"For various reasons, including the legal decisions you know about  [the culprits have not been punished].  However, the fact the  murderers have not so far been identified, does not at all mean it  will not happen. The major problem - or one of major ones - is that  evidence is available that immediately after March 1, 2008, the  investigative body did not exert efforts to solve the crime. Rather,  it spared no effort to make it impossible," the premier said.  

He is sure that the case must be solved. 

As regards his earlier statement that the case had been solved, Mr  Pashinyan said that the case was dismissed because of legal  commentary.

"When I say the case was solved, I mean successive steps. Let us not  forget what was revealed during the investigation. Groups were formed  and illegal payments made - all that done under cover of the army,"  Mr Pashinyan said.  

The major culprits were in court, but "universally known  circumstances" emerged. The premier refused to comment on "the legal  decisions not to be appealed." 

Nevertheless, Mr Pashinyan insists the march 1 case is solved and the  "all the links identified" except for the perpetrators.  

Eight protesters and two police officers were killed in the violent  suppression of anti-government street protests that followed a  disputed presidential election held in February 2008 which saw Serzh  Sargsyan take office. Former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the main  opposition candidate in the ballot, rallied his supporters to protest  against alleged vote rigging.  Ter-Petrosyan's supporters held  nonstop rallies in Liberty Square until they were forcibly dispersed  by riot police early on March 1, 2008.