Prosecutor general sees no political connotation in Shant Harutyunyan case

Armenian Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan said during a briefing today that he sees no political connotation in the sentences given to Tseghakron Party leader Shant Harutyunyan and his followers.

“I don’t see any political connotation, nor can I see because there can be no political factor or connotation during criminal prosecution. The whole case is substantiated and full of evidence. An objective comparison shows that there cannot be any political connotation here,” Kostanyan said.

Speaking about the criminal case opened earlier against the governor of Armenia’s Syunik province Suren Khachatryan, the prosecutor general said: “I expressed my position on this case a long time ago. I expressed it repeatedly and I take the same position now. As regards actions of the governor’s son, in any case, when there are elements of the crime and the Investigatory Committee receives enough evidence and proofs, then the relevant person will be prosecuted criminally”.

On November 5, 2013 the leader of Tseghakron Party Shant Harutyunyan and his supporters, armed with cudgels and rods, intended to stage an unsanctioned march. Police urged them to not disturb public order and to unblock the central section of Mashtots Avenue in Yerevan, but the protesters started to explode homemade explosive bags.

The court pronounced the sentences of Shant Harutyunyan and his supporters on October 17, 2014. Shant Harutyunyan received 6 years in prison, his son – 4 years.