March 1 will mark the 10th year of the tragic incidents. And now we should record – 10 people were killed in the center of the capital, however, there is no progress towards revealing the murderers. Both a fact-gathering group and a temporary committee of the National Assembly have operated towards unveiling the bloody events of March 1 since then, besides the initiated criminal case, which is still being investigated in the SIS. Advocate, “Yelq” MP Artak Zeynalyan informed that after the respective decision of the ECHR, the authorities of the Republic of Armenia will have to reopen the case. As known, Artak Zeynalyan was advocating the cases of 9 victims out of 10, murdered on March 1 tragic incidents, and that the complaints of the relatives of the victims have been submitted to the ECHR. The relatives of the victims have requested the ECHR to recognize the violations of the right to life, the right to be deprived of tortures and inhumane treatment, the right to an effective investigation, the right to respective compromise and others.
Let us remind you that series of protests were held in Yerevan. There were organized by the supporters of presidential candidate and the First President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosian. On March 1st police tried to disperse the protesters. As a result 10 people were killed.
– What does the procedure imply? When can we receive the ECHR decision?
– It is not identified, there is no precise definition. How long it will take, I hesitate to say. We have cases lasting for 9 years after the intercourse until the ECHR has adopted a decision.
– A fact-gathering group has operated on March 1 case. How much has the ECHR had the need of using the data during the investigation?
– I think, yes, we have used the documents of the fact-gathering group on a set of cases, we have used the facts stated there in the ECHR.
– What do we have 10 years passed the incidents?
– We have an ineffective pre-investigation, we have, as to my conviction, unfairly sentenced persons on the ground of political crimes 10 years passed the incidents. We have legislative changes implemented by the National Assembly which should have contributed to re-qualifying the deeds and setting those people free, which, nevertheless, did not come to life. Also, a draft was proposed and amended on those people’s release from the punishment, perhaps also a justification, which did not happen alike. We have victims’ relatives, successors who have not received a just compensation and their rights continue to remain violated also because, as I already told, effective pre-investigation has not been carried out. The truth has not been revealed, the criminals have not been found and subject to responsibility.
– When will this case be revealed and in which case, in your opinion?
– I think those cases should be reopened after the ECHR decision.
Interview by Naira HOVHANNISYAN
