Lawyer: Fair verdict should be announced in Budaghyan case (video)
A1+ Company has interviewed lawyer Hayk Alumyan. Among other issues, the lawyers spoke about the murder of Goris mayoral candidate Avetik Budaghyan that took place near the sprawling mansion of Syunik Marz Governor Surik Khachatryan (aka Liska). “If a fair verdict is not announced in the case, it will cause fears among people that similar crimes may continue in the future,” said the lawyer. The incident forced Khachatryan to resign in June 2013. During the shooting, Budaghyan’s brother, Artak, a colonel in the Armenian Army and another man, Nikolay Abrahamyan were wounded. Kachatryan’s son, Tigran Khachatryan and his bodyguard, Zarzand Nikoghosyan, were arrested after the shootout and charged with murder and possession of illegal weapons. However, as in most cases that involve oligarchs, the investigation was suspended that the two were set free and cleared of all charges. Law enforcement agencies claimed that the suspects were acting in ‘self-defense’ saying that Budaghyan was allegedly attacking the Khachatryan residence. Surik Khachatryan was reappointed to the post again in 2014.
