YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has sent Nairi Hunanyan’s letter addressed to him to the Prosecutor General of Armenia. In turn, the prosecution said they have forwarded the letter to the National Security Service to investigate whatever Hunanyan has said in it as part of the re-opened proceedings into a separated criminal case of the October 27 case.

Nairi Hunanyan, the 1999 Armenian parliament attack ringleader, sent a letter from prison addressed to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on January 17.

Unconfirmed media reports earlier said Hunanyan has reportedly expressed willingness in the letter to participate in the re-opened investigation into a separated criminal case of the October 27 case.

On October 27, 1999 a group of five armed gunmen led by Hunanyan 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 in parliament hostage until surrendering to authorities the next day.

The five perpetrators, which include Hunanyan’s younger brother and uncle, were sentenced to life in prison in 2003.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan