Tweet
IN ARMENIA, LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
EurasiaNet.org
Sept 11 2013
September 11, 2013 - 10:58am, by Giorgi Lomsadze
The many benefits of being a high-profile public official or his scion
in Armenia apparently include getting away with violence and murder.
At least that is how human rights defenders have reacted to the
September 8 decision to drop all murder charges against the son of
former strongman governor, Suren Khachatrian.
In a Quentin-Tarantino-esque shootout near the ex-governor's mansion
in the southeastern town of Goris, Khachatrian fils this June shot
dead local businessman Avetik Budaghian. Budaghian's brother Artak,
a military officer, was wounded in the clash with Kachatrian's son,
Tigran, and his bodyguards.
Tigran Khachatrian and one of the bodyguards were arrested on murder
and illegal weapons possession charges, but were released after the
military police, which are handling the case, decided that all the
shots fired by Khachatrian were made in self-defense. Human rights
activists, the victims' family and the family's lawyer all have
condemned the ruling. A local representative of Human Rights Watch
alleged in a conversation with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, a former defense minister, may
personally have pushed for the ex-gubernatorial son.
Suren Khachatrian, who used to run the province as his personal
fiefdom, is believed to have been a vote hoarder for President Sargsyan
and the ruling Republican Party of Armenia.Voter support for the duo
reportedly ran stronger in Syunik than anywhere else in Armenia.
It has been widely suggested that this quid-pro-quo relationship
kept Kachatrian in office despite his long alleged record of
violent behavior. Allegations like assaulting a journalist and
a businesswoman had been piling up against Kachatrian, but never
resulted in indictments or dismissal.
Khachatrian père tendered his resignation after the shooting incident,
but, critics say, he can still call in favors with the establishment.
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/67492
EurasiaNet.org
Sept 11 2013
September 11, 2013 - 10:58am, by Giorgi Lomsadze
The many benefits of being a high-profile public official or his scion
in Armenia apparently include getting away with violence and murder.
At least that is how human rights defenders have reacted to the
September 8 decision to drop all murder charges against the son of
former strongman governor, Suren Khachatrian.
In a Quentin-Tarantino-esque shootout near the ex-governor's mansion
in the southeastern town of Goris, Khachatrian fils this June shot
dead local businessman Avetik Budaghian. Budaghian's brother Artak,
a military officer, was wounded in the clash with Kachatrian's son,
Tigran, and his bodyguards.
Tigran Khachatrian and one of the bodyguards were arrested on murder
and illegal weapons possession charges, but were released after the
military police, which are handling the case, decided that all the
shots fired by Khachatrian were made in self-defense. Human rights
activists, the victims' family and the family's lawyer all have
condemned the ruling. A local representative of Human Rights Watch
alleged in a conversation with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, a former defense minister, may
personally have pushed for the ex-gubernatorial son.
Suren Khachatrian, who used to run the province as his personal
fiefdom, is believed to have been a vote hoarder for President Sargsyan
and the ruling Republican Party of Armenia.Voter support for the duo
reportedly ran stronger in Syunik than anywhere else in Armenia.
It has been widely suggested that this quid-pro-quo relationship
kept Kachatrian in office despite his long alleged record of
violent behavior. Allegations like assaulting a journalist and
a businesswoman had been piling up against Kachatrian, but never
resulted in indictments or dismissal.
Khachatrian père tendered his resignation after the shooting incident,
but, critics say, he can still call in favors with the establishment.
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/67492