Investigators in Armenia Want to Question Ex-President Kocharyan about March 1, 2008 Events
Armenia’s Special Investigative Service (SIS) has “requested” that Robert Kocharyan, the country’s second president, appear for questioning regarding the events of March 1, 2008.
SIS press spokesperson Marineh Ohanjanyan verified the news earlier reported by the website armtimes.com
Viktor Soghomonyan, who runs Kocharyan’s office, told Hetq that he hadn’t yet received any official notice from the SIS asking that Kocharyan voluntarily submit to being questioned on the matter.
Earlier today, the SIS announced that charges of “usurping state power” have been filed against Mikayel Harutyunyan, who was serving as defense minister at the time.
Thousands in Yerevan took to the streets in February 2008 after the Central Electoral Commission declared Serzh Sargsyan the winner of the February 18 presidential election.
Combined units of the police and army attacked the protesters on March 1. Eight civilians and two police officers died in the melee.
Kocharyan, the outgoing president, ordered a state of emergency after two weeks of mass demonstrations in Yerevan.
The government of Nikol Pashinyan recently announced that it has launched a new investigation of the March 1 events.
Write a comment