The video of the encounter between Surik Khachatryan, the governor of Syunik, and businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan that took place in Armenia-Marriott Hotel on November 14, 2011, has appeared on the internet. It turns out that Silva Hambardzumyan was surprised at that, although she had previously stated about making the video public. Silva Hambardzumyan was not surprised at the video, but it was surprised at its appearance, since she was going to make it public during a press conference to take place in the upcoming days. The businesswoman expressed confusion during a conversation with www.aravot.am and did not rule out that the author of that could be the “Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) circles.” In response to our surprise at her allegations, the businesswoman said, “Well, people are different these days…” and noted that during these events and as a result of them she had understood one thing, “Surik has many ill-wishers.”
Anyway, the essential in this whole story is Silva Hambardzumyan’s and Surik Khachatryan’s comments.
30-40 minutes after the encounter, Silva Hambardzumyan told www.aravot.am that seeing Silva Hambardzumyan in Marriott Hotel and in the lobby, “he attacked me like a hoodlum, kicked me and then punched me.” The cause for the encounter was accusations of taking away the mine from her and appropriating equipment worth thousands of dollars made by the businesswoman during a press conference. On the day of the encounter, late in the evening, the press service of the governor made a statement, which read, “Surik Khachatryan, the governor of Syunik, ostensibly beat up businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan in Marriott Hotel. We think it is necessary to say that that news doesn’t correspond to the reality, it is imaginary, it is an absolute lie and a slander against Surik Khachatryan, the governor of Syunik.”
The dispute between the governor and the businesswoman moved from the journalistic field to the legal field. The Special Investigation Service opened a case, according to Article 118 (beating) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia and as a result of the preliminary investigation, it decided, “In the given case, the act mentioned above doesn’t include the action manifesting the subjective part of the crime provided for by Article 118 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia – i.e. features of beating – because of its singularity and little importance, since in the theory of criminal law, saying ‘beating,’ one understands multiple hits aiming at inflicting physical pain.” The case was closed. Future complaints against that decision were denied. A statement was made that the governor and the businesswoman had agreed on “paying back,” but Silva Hambardzumyan claims that Surik Khachatryan has not paid for the equipment he has appropriated.
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And Suren Khachatryan continued claiming that he had not hit, he had just pushed, “I didn’t slap, I pushed… There is no such thing in the video either, because I just slightly pushed her head.”
Now, when the video is there, we think all explanations and comments become more material.
See the details of the encounter in the video.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
