Criminal prosecution initiated against former Police Troops commander who ordered use of Cheryomukha-7 in March 1 case

By a prosecutor’s decision dated September 4, 2026, public criminal prosecution has been initiated against G.G., who served as Commander of the Armenian Police Troops and Deputy Chief of Police from 2003 until July 2, 2008, as part of criminal proceedings concerning the events that took place in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008.

The prosecution was initiated under Part 2 of Article 376 of the Criminal Code adopted on April 18, 2003 — negligent attitude towards service that negligently caused grave consequences.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said the criminal proceedings established that G.G., as commander, disregarded the absence in 2008 of the necessary legal acts regulating the use of special means by the Armenian Police Troops and, as a result of a negligent attitude towards service, failed to take measures to provide units under his command with serviceable and unexpired weapons and special means and to organise their safe and proper use.

In particular, during the events that took place on March 1, 2008, in areas adjacent to the intersection of Paronyan, St Grigor Lusavorich and Leo streets and Mashtots Avenue in Yerevan, G.G., both directly and through commanders subordinate to him, ordered servicemen of the Armenian Police Troops to fire Cheryomukha-7 tear gas grenades, intended for use in enclosed spaces, towards demonstrators from KS-23 special carbines.

In the absence of regulations governing the use of special means, expired special means that were unfit for use and subject to destruction were unlawfully deployed without warning. These included Cheryomukha-7 tear gas grenades intended for use in enclosed spaces, which were fired towards demonstrators from KS-23 special carbines. As a result, three participants in the demonstration were killed, two people sustained serious injuries and one person sustained injuries of moderate severity.

Notice: A person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code by a court judgment that has entered into legal force.