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PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY LEADER TO PRESS FOR IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION INTO OSKANIAN CASE
/ARKA/
OCTOBER 10, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, October 10. / ARKA /. Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the
Prosperous Armenia Party, said today he will be watching closely the
investigation into the money laundering charges brought against a
senior member of his party, former foreign minister Vartan Oskanian
as he met with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern, saying also
that the investigation must be unbiased and transparent.
On Monday, Oskanian was summoned to the National Security Service (NSS)
and was formally charged with one count of particularly large-scale
theft and one count of money laundering. Oskanian was also asked to
testify as a 'defendant' in the high-profile case, but he refused to
do so invoking his constitutional right.
Iveta Tonoyan, press secretary for Gagik Tsarukyan, told ARKA that Mr.
Tsarukyan hired the best lawyers to scrutinize the charges against
Oskanian, who confirmed that they are ungrounded. Tsarukyan told the
ambassador that he instructed the lawmakers from the party to make
strong statements in support of Oskanian.
The U.S. ambassador said the charges brought against Armenia's former
foreign minister Vartan Oskanian 'are bad for justice and democracy
in Armenia'. He stressed that the timing of these events in relation
to the election schedule is troubling.
Oskanian was stripped of his immunity last week by the National
Assembly after a majority of his fellow lawmakers allowed his
prosecution in a secret ballot boycotted by the parliamentary minority
factions, including his Prosperous Armenia Party.
Oskanian argues that his prosecution had "political implications"
saying the government's goal is to "step up pressure" on him and
his party.
Oskanian is charged by the National Security Service with
misappropriating a $1.4-million donation that was made by U.S.
philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr. to his Yerevan-based Civilitas
Foundation in late 2010.
From: A. Papazian
/ARKA/
OCTOBER 10, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, October 10. / ARKA /. Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the
Prosperous Armenia Party, said today he will be watching closely the
investigation into the money laundering charges brought against a
senior member of his party, former foreign minister Vartan Oskanian
as he met with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern, saying also
that the investigation must be unbiased and transparent.
On Monday, Oskanian was summoned to the National Security Service (NSS)
and was formally charged with one count of particularly large-scale
theft and one count of money laundering. Oskanian was also asked to
testify as a 'defendant' in the high-profile case, but he refused to
do so invoking his constitutional right.
Iveta Tonoyan, press secretary for Gagik Tsarukyan, told ARKA that Mr.
Tsarukyan hired the best lawyers to scrutinize the charges against
Oskanian, who confirmed that they are ungrounded. Tsarukyan told the
ambassador that he instructed the lawmakers from the party to make
strong statements in support of Oskanian.
The U.S. ambassador said the charges brought against Armenia's former
foreign minister Vartan Oskanian 'are bad for justice and democracy
in Armenia'. He stressed that the timing of these events in relation
to the election schedule is troubling.
Oskanian was stripped of his immunity last week by the National
Assembly after a majority of his fellow lawmakers allowed his
prosecution in a secret ballot boycotted by the parliamentary minority
factions, including his Prosperous Armenia Party.
Oskanian argues that his prosecution had "political implications"
saying the government's goal is to "step up pressure" on him and
his party.
Oskanian is charged by the National Security Service with
misappropriating a $1.4-million donation that was made by U.S.
philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr. to his Yerevan-based Civilitas
Foundation in late 2010.
From: A. Papazian