Raffi Hovhannisyan was investigated

04/12/2005 Arman GALOYAN

As stated in the press announcement made by the “Heritage” political party, “Arsen Poghosyan, a representative agent for the National Security Services (former KGB) airport staff, has stopped Raffi Hovhannisyan before he entered the airplane. Mr. Poghosyan has claimed that it is his job to protect the people. Raffi Hovhannisyan was questioned about his reasons for departure, the Constitution of Armenia and other things which have nothing to do with the airplane’s security”. Raffi Hovhannisyan’s passport and personal documents were investigated as a means of discovering documents revealing state secrecy. ”In those documents, we found a constitutional draft prepared by the ”Heritage” political party, publications of military and national studies of the Armenian center, the list of theatrical shows in Yerevan, a draft of a letter written but not sent to the president of Armenia and Hovhannisyan’s ticket”. But this was not all that happened to the former Prime Minister of Armenia. After a few calls on the telephone, Poghosyan called ”customs agent” Karen Petrosyan and warned him to carefully study the personal documents in a separate room. Poghosyan has also ordered making a xerox of the bureaucracy draft in Raffi Hovhannisyan’s documents.However, finally R. Hovhannisyan objected and demanded that they return his papers. Otherwise, Raffi Hovhannisyan has made it clear that he will present the workers with a document stating that he has been stopped from getting on the plane and the investigation. They finally let the president of the ”Heritage” political party get on the plane. But in the end, the National Security Services worker Arsen Poghosyan told Raffi Hovhannisyan that they would ”meet” upon his return. Raffi Hovhannisyan was departing to Kiev to participate in the international forum dedicated to democratic elections. Other participants included former president of the Czech Republic Vatslav Havel, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Boris Tarasyuk, U.S. Senator John Mccain, and othe top-duty officials, politicians, scientists, political figure and rights defenders. The press announcment states: ”Raffi Hovhannisyan has experienced similar events during the Soviet era and in Turkey, but never in the Republic of Armenia whose flag was first raised by him at the UN.” It is evident that this all has something to do with Raffi Hovhannisyan’s recent active participation in politics. After all, Raffi Hovhannisyan did organize and hold a meeting at Freedom Square on November 25 and stood on foot for two days under the Armenian flag. Raffi Hovhannisyan will return to Armenia on December 3rd.

P.S. In addition, the police officers of the Arabkir community police department visited the national center for military investigations headed by Raffi Hovhannisyan on November 28 late at night. The police officers had informed Hovhannisyan that if a meeting was scheduled without prior notice, then they would take certain measures (this refers to the opposition meeting held the next day at the Matenadaran).