Active investigation ongoing into reopened case of 1999 parliament terror attack, says top prosecutor
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Armenia’s top prosecutor said Thursday that the reopened investigation into the 1999 terror attack in parliament, known as the October 27 case, is in “active phase” and under proper prosecutorial supervision.
Prosecutor-General Anna Vardapetyan made the remarks in parliament while presenting the 2024 prosecution’s report to lawmakers.
She told lawmakers that the report doesn’t include information about the investigation of the 1999 parliament shooting because it contains information that could harm the ongoing probe if revealed.
Publishing incomplete information could have jeopardized the effectiveness of the investigation and led to persons under investigation attempting to obstruct justice, she said.
On 27 October,1999 a group of five heavily armed gunmen stormed into the parliament while it was in session and assassinated Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Speaker Karen Demirchyan, Deputy Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, as well as three lawmakers and a Cabinet member. The gunmen held the remaining MPs hostage until surrendering to authorities the next day. The perpetrators were sentenced to life imprisonment.
There have since been many theories on possible masterminds or accomplices, including possible foreign involvement behind the attack. An investigation was reopened in 2019.