Armenia’s Police Chief objects to granting amnesty to participants of 2016 Yerevan police station attack

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Police Chief of Armenia Valery Osipyan objects to granting amnesty to the participants of 2016 Yerevan police station attack. ARMENPRESS reports judge Mesrop Makyan informed that the National Assembly of Armenia adopted a law on November 1, 2018 on announcing amnesty for criminal cases on the occasion of the 2800th anniversary of Erebouni-Yerevan and the 100th anniversary of the 1st Republic of Armenia. The amnesty law provides a separate point for the people who participated in Yerevan police station attack from June 17-31, 2016, but the amnesty also provides a reservation, according to which if the people who were taken hostage during those days or suffered physical damage object to granting amnesty, the investigation into the case will continue according to the standard procedure.

Police Chief of Armenia Valery Osipyan, who was taken hostage in 2016 by the gunmen when he was Yerevan Police Deputy Chief, objected to the granting amnesty. “I have lost friends. If I had not lost friends, maybe my position would be otherwise. I think everyone should be punished in line with the law”, Osipyan said.

To the question of the judge if he objects to granting amnesty, Valery Osipyan said, “Yes, I object”.

Only 2 of the 10 gunmen are currently kept in detention pending trial – Armen Bilyan and Smbat Barseghyan. The others have been released on bail or personal guarantee of MPs.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan