Quite interesting statements are heard from the governmental camp about the case of March 1. Last week the head of the Special Investigative Body Andranik Mirzoyan didn’t exclude that Robert Kocharyan and Levon Ter-Petrosyan may also be called to questioning. He said that they would discuss this matter by all means and in case of necessity they will be invited to questioning. Besides that he mentioned that new witnesses of March 1 events were identified. He also mentioned that the investigative group of that case was also expanded, which now includes 15 investigators. According to the head of the SIB the investigators are once again reviewing all the details, which have been examined by now. Mirzoyan stated that some of the witnesses questioned before will be questioned once again. He also didn’t exclude that more experienced experts will be invited maybe from abroad as well. The head of the SIB expressed hope that this time the law-abiders will try to receive results. According to the latter, they will also take into account the report of the fact finding group of March 1, 2008. And these data will be compared with the investigation results of the SIB. And yesterday all these statements were wrapped up by the prosecutor-general’s office by announcing that it had decided to announce an open door reception for the journalists in order to publicize the society on the status of development of the investigation of March 1 events. For this purpose, the investigators of the SIB are planning to meet the journalists twice a month. These are merely statements, which were made about a month after Sargsyan’s statement, which urged the investigative body to investigate the case with more vigor. Indeed, all these are merely statements and only in the event of great optimism would it be possible that these events will be investigated and that the culprits will be punished. Perhaps the mentioned officials make such statements under the pressure of the international community and opposition. And most importantly these statements perfectly fit the pre-election campaign platforms. At any rate these officials have made statements. All we have to do is to wait and see what the process of investigation will be. Yesterday, SIB investigator, head of the March 1 investigation team Vahagn Harutyunyan told us that there are no news in regard of investigation of the case. Why has the SIB decided to revise this case and investigate it with vigor? What made it more transparent? Nobody closed this case and it has been open for free investigation. The relatives of the victims of March 1 also complained about the inaction of the SIB. Did the statement or assignment of Sargsyan make them become more cautious and diligent? “In fact, the investigation of the case has never started. The assignment of the president was aimed at activating it. And we are doing it. They are now trying to find new people, revise the evidence of the case and evaluate those,” responded Harutyunyan. In this regard, the SIB last week released a statement, which reads that Davit Petrosyan, who died as a result of March 1 events, was transported to #2 clinic by a Zhiguli vehicle. And the SIB was requesting the driver of Zhiguli and the witnesses of this incident provide more details about the incident. Member of the fact-finding group of March 1 events lawyer Seda Safaryan is surprised that the Sib has only now learned about the vehicle, which transported Davit Petrosyan. “They have known about that long ago. There were videos about that and they knew how he was transported to the hospital. If they used our videos they might have learned about that sooner,” says Safaryan. What important findings has the fact-finding group had from the March 1-2 events, which the Sib can use during the case investigation? “I think that the episode of the death of Hamlet Tadevosyan is investigated and if they wish they can assess that and complete it. In this case much more was done and a little is left to do. I think that the facts we have collected are fully enough for full investigation of H. Tadevosyan’s case. I would say the same about the death circumstances of Tigran Abgaryan. There is quite a material. If the SIB works on them a little longer and gathers more information it will be possible to close this case as well,” says Seda Safaryan. In Safaryan’s words the findings of the fact-collecting group are not sufficient for fully revealing the cases of March 1 because their case was left incomplete. But if the SIB and the government express willingness and desire they will be able to bring the case to its completion. “For example, it is interesting for me to learn that now they confess that they have done a little work,” he says. Is the opposition hopeful that the cases will be investigated as a result of the president’s statements and orders? “We think that first of the functions of the second president were to be discussed. On those days he was the commander-in-chief and the acting president, who in fact gave an illegal order to unconstitutionally involve the army in the peaceful demonstration process. Secondly, if a serious investigation is conducted in terms of the activities of the police, bodyguards of oligarchs and if they really take care of this it will become a serious investigation. It would be a total imitation to once again question the activists of the opposition and if it continues we will understand that those were merely words,” says ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan.
