Yesterday at about 4p.m. in a surprise move, Khachatur Sukiasyan, a fugitive businessman and opposition parliamentarian, surrendered to Armenian law-enforcement authorities to face trial for his alleged role in last year’s post-election violence in Yerevan. He was kept at the premises of the Prosecutor-General for two hours before he was taken under detention and taken to an isolation cell of the National Security Service. The MP was moved through the service entrance in such a covert way that the journalists were not able to see Sukiasyan. According to the release of the Prosecutor-General he is charged with organization of mass riots on March 1, 2008 (Article 225 of the Armenian Criminal Code). Under Armenian law, the SIS has 72 hours to decide whether to ask a Yerevan court to reaffirm a 2008 arrest warrant for the tycoon or set him free pending trial. The law-enforcement body did not announce its further actions as of late evening. So tomorrow the investigation group will announce the preventive punishment. Reminder: PACE’s resolution demands Armenian leadership to use other restraint than detention against fugitives giving themselves up by July 31. Despite this requirement the government has decided to keep the editor chief of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper Nicol Pashinyan under custody. He turned himself in before July 31. Thus, the government may rely on the PACE resolution and keep Sukiasyan under custody as well. One of his lawyers, Artur Grigoryan, gave no clear explanation as to why the prominent oppositionist, who is believed to have fled Armenia last year, turned himself in now that he no longer qualifies for amnesty. “It is not the prospect of an amnesty that could motivate him to come out,” Grigorian said. “He simply found it expedient to turn himself in now. He is innocent.” Thus, till yesterday the government will have to decide whether they will keep in charge Sukiasyan and add the number of people charged due to the tragic events of March 1 or let another innocent man go home. Unfortunately the first option is more probable.
