Statement of HCA Vanadzor

On the remarks of Armenian Police Chief Alik Sargsyan in the interview with  Radio Liberty related to Vahan Khalafyan's death

Armenian Police Chief states and insists that Vahan Khalafyan committed suicide, as he did before Vahan Khalafyan's post mortem examination, before the end of pre-trial.

In the interview the Police Chief

1. does not exclude the circumstance of offering conditions, deals by RA Special Investigative Service
2. again puts the fact of violence against Vahan Khalafyan under suspicion
3. does not present any reason for suicide but excludes any possible reason for killing Vahan Khalafyan
4. does not give any role or importance to the trial, the court and he considers that the only document to find someone guilty is the indictment.

We qualify these comments of the Chief of Police as a degrading attitude towards the authority and importance of the court and we believe that a number of new circumstances and essential facts have been exposed during the trial which  RA Special Investigative Service overlooked during the pre-trial. In particular:

1. criminal investigative department head Ashot Harutyunyan's  testimony on the fact of the blood-stained knife in the hands of police senior employee Moris Hayrapetyan
2. the mess in the study-room where Khalafyan was, which means publicity of the fact of resistance during the trial
3. the deadlines mentioned in the protocols of bringing Vahan Khalafyan and others to the police station did not correspond to the reality
4. the absence of justification on Moris Hayrapetyan's being under arrest in the “Kentron” detention facility based in the building of the National Security Service and on Ashot Harutyunyan's being in detention in “Vardashen” detention facility.

We think that these and other important circumstances will get their answers during the trial and the court will carry out an objective, thorough and complete trial, will pass a legal verdict by correcting the faults and the shortcomings of the pr-trial and accusing bodies without undergoing any pressure, including by the law enforcement bodies.