“I am convinced it was suicide,” Sargsyan Declares “Once again let me declare, and I say this with the deepest conviction, it was a case of suicide. Maybe they instigated him to suicide, maybe they pressured him…As to the Khalafyan case in general, I directly declare that I, as the chief of police, and all my colleagues have not intervened in the case.”

This is the statement made by RoA Police Chief Alik Sargsyan to Armenia Liberty radio last week. He then added, “They just don’t murder people while in police custody. It just doesn’t happen that ten cops haul in a guy to the station and proceed to kill him. Tell me what the reason would be. Perhaps one of you journalists could venture a reason why something like this would happen.” In response, I would ask the Police Chief to venture an explanation as to why Khalafyan would commit “suicide” at the police station. It would seem that Alik Sargsyan doesn’t understand that his “deepest conviction” is not a legally accepted definition. He doesn’t even understand that the interview he gave to the radio station is an abuse of his official position and constitutes direct pressure on the court system. Furthermore, his words constitute an open threat aimed at the judge. If the Police Chief only had some understanding of the law, then maybe he wouldn’t keep making such statements regarding the alleged suicide.