Epress.am News from Armenia
The trial of former head of the RA Police General Department of Criminal Intelligence Hovhannes Tamamyan that was to take place at a Yerevan district court today was postponed.
Recall, Tamamyan was arrested late March 2011 on on charges of abuse of power and has since been kept under arrest pending trial. He is accused of deliberately mishandling a police investigation into the May 12, 2010 murder of 23-year-old Khachik Mkrtchyan. As reported by RFE/RL’s Armenian service, prosecutors say police investigators overseen by Tamamyan deliberately failed to prosecute the murder perpetrator and charged another individual instead, presumably in return for a massive kickback. Tamamyan is also charged on similar accounts in another case, in which he failed to prosecute Aram and Arthur Martirosyans for the attempted murder of Hakob and Hovsep Hovhannisyans and Spartak Zargaradoghyan in Nov. 2009 in Gavar.
Also named as accused are former Deputy Head of the Arabkir Division of Yerevan Police Armen Poghosyan and former Senior Investigator of the Police General Investigation Department of Specially Important Cases Vahan Khanzadyan, who also face similar charges.
Appointed public prosecutor Ruzanna Sirekanyan, who is defending Khanzadyan’s interests, asked the judge for 10 days to become acquainted with the case materials.
Judge Arshak Vardanyan granted the request and postponed the court date to Mar. 6 at 12 pm.
Afterwards, reporters tried to ask Hovhannes Tamamyan’s defense attorney Vaghinak Gevorgyan questions; however, the latter mainly refused to comment, saying that it might affect his client’s case. Asked whether Tamamyan will admit his guilt, the attorney said everything will be known at the trial.
He mentioned that any media report could affect the court process, which is why he is currently refraining from making any comments.
Updated 11:50 am on Feb. 17, 2012: It was the attempted murder and not the murder of Hakob and Hovsep Hovhannisyans and Spartak Zargaradoghyan.