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RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL RECEIVES U.S. EXPERT
Noyan Tapan
http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=118000
Oc t 8, 2008
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The Prosecutor General of Armenia
Aghvan Hovsepian on October 7 received expert John Farmer who had
arrived from the U.S. and the US embassy Legal Advisor Steven Kessler.
In 2003-2004, John Farmer was a chief lawyer of the National Commission
on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (9/11 Commission) and
dealt with issues on emergency response actions after the terrorist
attacks on the U.S.
He was previously the New Jersey prosecutor and a member of the New
Jersey investigation commission on control of political corruption
and organized crime.
During the meeting, the sides dicussed the measures taken by the
investigation body after the March 1-2 mass disorder in Yerevan,
their results, as well as a number of issues related to tactics of
the investigative methods and actions.
The RA prosecutor general informed the U.S. expert that with the aim of
examining the scene of the incident, it was conditionally divided into
9 sites and subgroups were formed in order to conduct investigation
by episodes and reveal the identities of all the victims. The videos
shot by official bodies were seized, at the same time steps were
taken to obtain videos shot by various television companies, private
organizations and persons, and work in this direction is going on.
The police journals with records about the weapons of those policemen
who were sent to the indicated area on March 1-2, as well as these
weapons were seized. The weapons together with the bullet cases and
bullets found at the scene of the incident were sent for an expert
examination. It was mentioned that some difficulties arose in the
issue of identification of the cartridges fired from the special means
used by police as the current methodology does not allow to carry out
this work, which is necessary for giving a legal assessment of the
legality and proportionality of the actions taken by some policemen.
The investigation revealed that a special means used was the cause of
the deaths of 3 citizens. This special means was used by 4 policemen
who were positioned in such a way that the special means used by any
of them might cause the deaths of these citizens.
The search to find citizens-eyewitnesses has not yet given results
and no witnesses have come to the investigation body. Under such
conditions an expert examination may be of great significance for
the investigation into these concrete episodes.
J. Farmer promised to discuss this issue with the U.S. State
Department and find out whether an examination can be of help in this
issue. A. Hovsepian expressed a willingness not only to receive the
respective expert in Armenia but also to send the necessary materials
for an expert examination at another center to be recommended by
U.S. experts.
According to a report of the press service of the RA prosecutor
general's office, an agreement was reached to continue the working
discussion in the coming days.
The head of the RA Special Investigation Service Andranik Mirzoyan,
the chief prosecutor of the RA prosecutor general's office Koryun
Piloyan, the head of the investigation group on the criminal case
opened in connection with the mass disorder in Yerevan on March 1-2
Vahagn Harutyunian, the head of the Forensic Medical Examination
and Scientific Practical Center of the RA Ministry of Health Shota
Vardanian, the head of the National Bureau of Expert Examinations
of the RA National Academy of Sciences Artashes Javadian, and the
head of the Expert Criminological Department of the RA Police Stepan
Manukian also participated in the meeting.
Noyan Tapan
http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=118000
Oc t 8, 2008
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The Prosecutor General of Armenia
Aghvan Hovsepian on October 7 received expert John Farmer who had
arrived from the U.S. and the US embassy Legal Advisor Steven Kessler.
In 2003-2004, John Farmer was a chief lawyer of the National Commission
on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (9/11 Commission) and
dealt with issues on emergency response actions after the terrorist
attacks on the U.S.
He was previously the New Jersey prosecutor and a member of the New
Jersey investigation commission on control of political corruption
and organized crime.
During the meeting, the sides dicussed the measures taken by the
investigation body after the March 1-2 mass disorder in Yerevan,
their results, as well as a number of issues related to tactics of
the investigative methods and actions.
The RA prosecutor general informed the U.S. expert that with the aim of
examining the scene of the incident, it was conditionally divided into
9 sites and subgroups were formed in order to conduct investigation
by episodes and reveal the identities of all the victims. The videos
shot by official bodies were seized, at the same time steps were
taken to obtain videos shot by various television companies, private
organizations and persons, and work in this direction is going on.
The police journals with records about the weapons of those policemen
who were sent to the indicated area on March 1-2, as well as these
weapons were seized. The weapons together with the bullet cases and
bullets found at the scene of the incident were sent for an expert
examination. It was mentioned that some difficulties arose in the
issue of identification of the cartridges fired from the special means
used by police as the current methodology does not allow to carry out
this work, which is necessary for giving a legal assessment of the
legality and proportionality of the actions taken by some policemen.
The investigation revealed that a special means used was the cause of
the deaths of 3 citizens. This special means was used by 4 policemen
who were positioned in such a way that the special means used by any
of them might cause the deaths of these citizens.
The search to find citizens-eyewitnesses has not yet given results
and no witnesses have come to the investigation body. Under such
conditions an expert examination may be of great significance for
the investigation into these concrete episodes.
J. Farmer promised to discuss this issue with the U.S. State
Department and find out whether an examination can be of help in this
issue. A. Hovsepian expressed a willingness not only to receive the
respective expert in Armenia but also to send the necessary materials
for an expert examination at another center to be recommended by
U.S. experts.
According to a report of the press service of the RA prosecutor
general's office, an agreement was reached to continue the working
discussion in the coming days.
The head of the RA Special Investigation Service Andranik Mirzoyan,
the chief prosecutor of the RA prosecutor general's office Koryun
Piloyan, the head of the investigation group on the criminal case
opened in connection with the mass disorder in Yerevan on March 1-2
Vahagn Harutyunian, the head of the Forensic Medical Examination
and Scientific Practical Center of the RA Ministry of Health Shota
Vardanian, the head of the National Bureau of Expert Examinations
of the RA National Academy of Sciences Artashes Javadian, and the
head of the Expert Criminological Department of the RA Police Stepan
Manukian also participated in the meeting.