The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Armenia rejected the petition of 45 MPs to change detention as a preventive measure against the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and release him from custody.
“Zhoghovurd” daily interviewed Eduard Sharmazanov, National Assembly Vice Speaker, Republican Party Spokesman, over this and other issues.
– Do not you think that Robert Kocharyan, as the President of the country at that time, is liable for what happened on March 1?
– The government is always liable for any political issues. However, to be politically responsible and guilty are different concepts. Political responsibility, perpetrator, offender are very different terms. Kocharyan has defenders who will present facts. I do not think Kocharyan needs my support. As the Vice Speaker of the National Assembly, I am for not having selective justice, double standards in my country. I find it strange, ridiculous, and concerning that the petition of two or three MPs to release some members of the “Sasna Tsrer” group is satisfied, given the fact that the group had attacked the police regiment, as a result of which police officer was killed, yet the Special Investigation Service Head and the Prosecutor General state that releasing Kocharyan based on 45 MPs’ petition may cause troubles. These are ridiculous statements. What can Kocharyan do? You are in power, you can prevent him from leaving the country. Is there a problem? If Kocharyan had the intention to escape, he would not arrive. Kocharyan had announced that he would return from abroad. So he could just stay abroad and not return. But he has arrived, has not he? He has been the second President of Armenia, the first President of Artsakh, an Artsakh hero. There is a statal problem here. Yet, justice and own beliefs should not be taken as the same.
– You say that the Republican Party is most interested in revealing March 1 case. Then why did not you take certain steps within the past 10 years?
– Who says no certain steps were taken? Has anything new been revealed nowadays? Are there new facts whether who has fired? We speak about ten victims: is there anyone who knows who has killed them? The Republican Party has not concealed anything. The Party is most interested in revealing the circumstances of the murders.
Mary MARTIROSYAN
