Open news feed Close news feed
A A

Gevorg Kostanyan: We are to determine whether physical force used by police was legitimate or not (video)

Politics
YKECegGXYBw

Armenia’s Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan today spoke about Russia’s decision to allow Armenian law-enforcement authorities to prosecute Russian soldier Valery Permyakov who has confessed to murdering the seven-member Avetisyan family in Gyumri in January. Mr Kostanyan says he kept up correspondence and had meetings with his Russian counterpart before Russia’s decision to hand over Permyakov to Armenian jurisdiction. Asked whether the handover was a response to his letter sent to Russian Prosecutor General, Gevorg Kostanyan said, “You expect that when someone sends a letter his[her] reply must be send likewise in a letter. But this is not always the case.” Speaking about the possible handover of Hrachya Harutyunyan, an Armenian truck driver sentenced to 6 years and 9 months in prison by a Moscow court, the Armenian Prosecutor General said he had discussed the issue during a meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow. “In the same fashion, we found it appropriate that an Armenian national convicted by Russian laws serve his sentence in the Republic of Armenia. But I cannot say when the practical step will follow.” Gevorg Kostanyan then spoke about the excessive use of police force in a June 23 crackdown on Baghramyan Avenue when police used water cannons and batons to disperse demonstrators in downtown Yerevan. “Law enforcement agencies are the unique body that is mandated by law to use physical force. The question is to determine whether the physical force was legitimate or not. To know the answers to these questions I have forwarded all material I had at hand to the Special Investigation Service for investigation.”