Former Suspect in Armenian Parliamentary Shooting Demands Criminal Case be Launched Against Prosecutor General

Initially considered a suspect in the Oct. 27, 1999 parliamentary shootings but later exonerated Nairi Badalyan in the coming days is preparing to contact Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan with the request of launching a criminal case against investigator on the Oct. 27 case Hector Sardaryan, senior prosecutor at the Prosecutor General’s office Mr. Zalinyan, and RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan (pictured).

Speaking to journalists in the Armenian capital today, Badalyan noted that these state officials guided the criminal case in the wrong direction, accusing him of supporting the terrorists.

Recall, on Oct. 27, 1999, gunmen broke into Armenia’s parliament building and shot down then Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Parliamentary Speaker Karen Demirchyan and six others.

Badalyan also confirmed statements he has made in the past, that during the investigation he was subject to torture and he suffered both moral and material losses. In May 2011, he applied to the European Court of Human Rights where a case “Badalyan v. Armenia” was launched. The case is not currently being examined since in August 2011, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan re-opened Badalyan’s civil suit and now he’s waiting for the Armenian court’s ruling. He is demanding $10 million USD from the court.

Nevertheless, Badalyan confessed that he’s not expecting a fair ruling. The next court date is set for Feb. 24. At that time, Badalyan will return to the US, where he resides. He asserted that the court knew very well that he won’t be in Yerevan which is why the court date was set for this day so that the case is examined without his participation.