YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office commented on the report at the Russian Interfax news agency according to which Russia will reject to extradite former Armenian defense minister Mikayel Harutyunyan to Yerevan, reports Armenpress.

Gor Abrahamyan, advisor to the Prosecutor General, said on Facebook that the Prosecutor General’s Office has no information yet about the detection of ex-defense minister in Russia or somewhere else.

“Taking into account the same requests applied to us by several media outlets regarding the article at Interfax news agency with the citation to anonymous sources according to which the Armenian side has officially requested the Russian law enforcement agencies to extradite Mikayel Harutyunyan who is currently wanted within the frames of the 2008 March 1 criminal case, I would like to inform the following:

The Prosecutor General’s Office has no information yet on the detection of Mikayel Harutyunyan in Russia or somewhere else. Therefore, in such circumstances, the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office could not submit any motion to extradite that person.

Nevertheless, in case of declaring any person wanted, the law enforcement agencies of all those countries, which are in respective legal relations with Armenia, are being notified about the arrest warrant by law and respective procedures set by international acts”, Abrahamyan said.

Armenia’s foreign ministry also commented on the report at Interfax, stating that the information of anonymous sources is not commented, especially when it is linked with the case being investigated by the Armenian law enforcement agencies.   

Former defense minister of Armenia, Colonel-General Mikayel Harutyunyan has been charged under Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia for breaching the constitutional order during the protests in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008. A motion has been filed to the court to remand ex-defense minister in custody. The court approved the motion. Harutyunyan has been declared wanted.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan