The Prosecutor’s Office didn’t Give, but Took 5 Days from the Lawyers of Harsnaqar Case

Lurer.com talked to Arthur Sakunts, the chairman of Vanadzor office of Helsinki Civil Assembly, and to Zhanna Aleksanyan, the chairman of “Journalists for Human Rights” NGO, in order to find out what implication did it have to change the 1 day, given to the lawyers by the police into 5, and whether 5 days are enough to present a petition.
Arthur Sakunts told us that five days are not enough.
"Relating to the volume that the lawyers studied, they presented serious proofs in their petition. That was a sufficient ground for extending the deadline of submitting enquiries and petitions and for the grounding,” Sakunts said and added that the five-day disposal was just an obliged compromise: "It’d be too much an ax, say, not to dispose.”
The latter, stressing the importance of the public demand , noted, that in case of not extending the deadline, the public demand would receive a more serious justification.
"It would be clear that this should have been given not for some lovely eyes, or this is not a public caprice, but a serious, substantial demand. The Prosecutor’s Office made a serious step, changing the deadline given by the police," he said.
Sakunts also noted that an intense work is required to be able to finish.
" We’ll work in an intensive mood. It’s necessary to put aside everything and to deal with it. But if we look from the same point of view, then in case of such approach we should also request the Prosecutor's Office and the Investigative Department and tell them, that you also have to put everything aside and deal with only one criminal case. What is more, let’s say, the preliminary investigation should be completed within six months, but we see, that in that 6 months they are obliged to do some works, which means that long term is given, taking into account the workload and the need of the same-time implementation of many possible functions. Thus, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Investigative body didn’t approach from the aspect, that the lawyers may also have other jobs to do. So, sufficient time was needed for the people to implement their professional duty,” said Sakunts and added : "However, the lawyers will manage ,though with intense efforts, but will submit the necessary petitions.”
Zhanna Alexanyan also opined that it seems like the Prosecutor’s Office has tried to rectify the situation, because, never anything similar happens in practice. “There is always an agreement, an acquirement of certain time. 1 day is an absurdity. Nothing similar can be in practice…to dispose 1 day!” I think that the Chief Investigative Deparment chose a way of humiliation.”
Alexanyan also mentioned, that the lawyers requested 1 month, but if 5 business days have been disposed, it’s still better than 1 day.
The Prosecutor’s Office didn’t give, but took that 5 days, in order to be able to give answers to the problems, raised by the lawyers.
The lawyers submitted so many petitions to the Prosecutor’s Office and the Chief Investigative body, that they need time. Moreover, the Prosecutor’s Office itself realized that this is an absurdity and there is an obvious intention to humiliate the successors of the victim. From the very beginning the Police maintained the policy of humiliation, when wasn’t registering as the successor of the victim; I think that service is provided for Ruben Hayrapetyan,” concluded Aleksanyan.
Note, that the Investigative Department of Especially Important Cases of Criminal Case Department of RA Police, considering that there are enough proofs for the criminal case, which occurred on June 17, 2012, in the yard of Harsnaqar restaurant complex, and which is being investigated at the department, announced about terminating the preliminary investigation for one part of the case and disposing the materials to the sides for familiarizing.
After disposing the materials to the representatives of Vahe Avetyan’s successor and the now-left 4 sufferers, they informed, that the petitions should be submitted in 1 day.
Note, that the case consists of 3 volumes, the number of pages of which is more than 1000.
Also note, that later the Prosecutor’s Office ordered the investigative body to extend the deadline for familiarizing with the materials.
The lawyers of Harsnakar case have been disposed 5 business days to familiarize with the materials.

Gayane Hambardzumyan