Statement on “Mataghis Case”
00:00, February 28, 2007 | Announcements | Right to Fair TrialYesterday Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor made a statement on “Mataghis Case.”
“On February 19, 2007 V. Smbatyan, investigator of specially important cases of RA Military Prosecutor’s office, reviewing the materials of the criminal case N 90800104 (“Mataghis Case”) made a resolution to take the signatures of Arayik Zalyan, Musa Serobyan and Razmik Sargsyan on not going away as a precautionary measure.
While making a resolution, V. Smbatyan, investigator of specially important cases of RA Military Prosecutor’s office, was guided by the “clarification” which on December 22, 2006 the Court of Cassation considered suspicious and sent the case to a new preliminary investigation.
It means that RA Military Prosecutor’s office does not aim to take into account the resolution of the Court of Cassation and it again continues to insist on the case it formerly “made.” The use of taking signatures on not going away against people charged with murder can only be called legal absurdity.
Such behaviour is in line with the threats towards judges by Gagik Jhangiryan, deputy Prosecutor General of RA, former Military Prosecutor, which is an intimidation and oppression towards juridical authorities.
The abovementioned again proves that instead of following the resolution of RA Court of Cassation:
• to verify the fact of violence and torture towards Arayik Zalyan, Musa Serobyan and Razmik Sargsyan, which was done by the investigators of RA Military Prosecutor’s office
• to examine other versions of the murder, especially the direct testimonies of case witnesses on “combat” Ivan’s and Mayilyan’s participation in the murder
RA Military Prosecutor’s office is busy with hiding the real criminals and the unlawful actions of its employees.
We think that the Republic of Armenia, in the person of investigator Smbatyan, continues violating the right of Arayik Zalyan, Musa Serobyan and Razmik Sargsyan to fair trial, which is defined by the articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
With this statement we demand from Aghvan Hovsepyan, RA General Prosecutor, to take “Mataghis Case” from the Military Prosecutor’s office and hand it to another group of the prosecutor’s office.”
“Chorord ishxanutyun”, 27.02.2007