accountable Archives

All possible accomplices of MP Manvel Grigoryan must be held accountable, says Prime Minister

June 18, 2018 by administrator

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, ARMENPRESS. According to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the case over MP Manvel Grigoryan is the most massive corruption discovery in the history of the third Republic of Armenia.

“Without violating any presumption of innocence, I want to say for the record that we are dealing with, perhaps, the most large-scale corruption discovery in the history of the third Republic of Armenia and this stands out with the fact that the discoveries are literally shocking, are shocking for the Armenian society,” he said at today’s Cabinet meeting. The PM said he has personally thanked the NSS director and the agents who took part in the operation.

He expressed hope that the investigation of this case will be carried out duly.

He said that all possible accomplices of the case, regardless of status or titles or any other circumstances, should be held accountable.

The investigation into the case regarding MP Manvel Grigoryan is still ongoing and the possible accomplices will be revealed in process, director of the National Security Service Arthur Vanetsyan told reporters. He said that Manvel Grigoryan will not be released from pre-trial detention.

But the parliament is yet to debate the issue of stripping the MP of immunity tomorrow.

Asked if the NSS was aware about the alleged embezzlement or it only had information about the firearms, the NSS chief said: “I don’t want to fully disclose the tactical part of our investigation, of course we were aware,” he said.

The parliament of Armenia will convene an extraordinary sitting on June 19 to debate stripping MP Manvel Grigoryan of immunity.

The decision to convene a sitting was made today at a Cabinet meeting.

The sitting will begin 11:00 Tuesday.

The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has released details over the arrest of Member of Parliament Manvel Grigoryan and the evidences discovered in the lawmaker’s properties. Grigoryan was placed under arrest on June 16.

The NSS said agents searched Grigoryan’s compound in the village of Arshaluys in Armavir province on June 16, and his mansion in Ejmiatsin city (Vagharshapat) within the framework of an ongoing criminal case.

NSS said agents discovered an arsenal and a collection of dozens of both vintage and modern vehicles in Grigoryan’s Arshaluys compound. The compound was also used to store military canned food, medication and military uniforms. NSS said the boxes which were supposed to be delivered to soldiers, contained letters addressed to servicemen, which shows that it was aid sent to frontline soldiers in Artsakh during the 2016 April 4-day war days.

NSS said it is investigating how the military clothing, medicine and other discoveries have appeared in the MP’s compound.

Various kinds of foodstuffs – aid sent from kindergartens and schools to soldiers – have been discovered stored in the compound, NSS said.

NSS said it also found foodstuffs labeled “For Soldier” – a special production supplied to the defense ministry which is not available for sale or any other use.

The huge amount of weapons and ammunition found in MP Grigoryan’s compound in the village included more than a dozen anti-tank grenade launchers, 20 hand grenades, over 20,000 various caliber rounds, TNT explosives, and many other types of weapons.

Weapons have also been found in the Ejmiatsin mansion, namely 79 rifles, 39 handguns and over 12,000 rounds.

Dozens of property ownership licenses have also been found.

The collection of vehicles includes motorcycles and snowmobiles, NSS said.

The NSS said they also discovered SUVs and an ambulance vehicle which were designated to be used in the military during the 4-day war. The vehicles were donated to the Defense Army of Artsakh by representatives of the Armenian community of Russia, and Grigoryan has misappropriated them, according to the NSS.

NSS said it also discovered a private zoo in the premises of the mansion, with bears and a tiger among the animals. The mansion also has a horse track. According to information, Grigoryan has used the military food which was supposed to go to soldiers of the 4-day war to feed the animals of his private zoo.

The NSS said the investigation continues and additional information will be provided.

Two days after the arrest of Member of Parliament Manvel Grigoryan in suspicion of illegal acquisition and possession of firearms, the Prosecutor General’s office filed a motion on stripping the lawmaker of immunity on June 18, the Prosecutor General’s office said.

On June 17, Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan transferred the investigation from the national security service to the special investigations service. He also tasked to form a task force from detectives of both services.

The Prosecutor General’s office said the investigation has revealed sufficient evidence implicating Manvel Grigoryan.

Thus, the Prosecutor General applied to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to request the parliament on behalf of the government to convene an extraordinary sitting to debate the motion.

Sen. Mark Kirk: U.S. Should Hold Azerbaijan Accountable

April 29, 2016 by administrator

Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL-10)

(The Hill)— The time has come for Azerbaijan to face consequences from the United States and the international community for its blatant military aggression against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR).

After years of saber rattling, Azerbaijan’s four-day assault on the NKR earlier this month is its most egregious attack since it signed a cease-fire agreement with Armenia and the NKR in 1994. These recent military actions indicate the clear need for new measures to modify a cease-fire framework that is not working.

With no system to referee the cease-fire, Azerbaijan has become increasingly belligerent while facing no consequences for its violations. This must change.

I strongly support a congressional response, spearheaded by Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and ranking member Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which offers three pro-peace measures to bring needed oversight to a cease-fire that has been precariously self-regulated by Armenian and Azerbaijani forces for more than two decades.

First, all sides should agree not to deploy snipers along the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact.

Second, advanced gunfire locator systems and sound ranging equipment, monitored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), should be installed along the line of contact to verify the source of any attacks.

And third, additional OSCE observers should be deployed along the line of contact to more effectively monitor cease-fire violations. There are only six OSCE observers monitoring the conflict zone — woefully insufficient given the number of cease-fire violations each day.

More than 80 members of the House of Representatives have signed the bipartisan Royce-Engel proposals, which have also been supported by the U.S. State Department and the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group.

In order for a lasting peace to be established, there must be goodwill and trust on both sides. But, while both Armenia and the NKR have affirmed their support for these peace-building measures, Azerbaijan has not. In truth, the lack of oversight on the current cease-fire framework provides useful cover for Azerbaijan’s belligerence.

U.S leadership is needed now to stop the bloody pattern in which Azerbaijan attacks the NKR, the NKR responds, and then Azerbaijan blames the Armenians for violating the cease-fire. We should no longer accept Baku’s flagrant duplicity.

I call upon the administration to raise the Royce-Engel proposals to the highest levels of the Azerbaijani government.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has faced a chorus of international criticism for human rights abuses, such as the wrongful imprisonment of Radio Free Europe journalist Khadija Ismayilova and some 20 others who have been prosecuted on politically motivated charges, according to Human Rights Watch.

Just as the international community has come together to hold the Baku government responsible for its transgressions against civil society in Azerbaijan, so too should we call it to account for its treatment of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The OSCE’s Minsk Process, which started in 1995 to bring the parties of the conflict to a peaceful and comprehensive settlement, is hanging on by a thread. If diplomacy is to endure, there must be a verifiable cease-fire in place.

The onus is on Azerbaijan to demonstrate to the U.S. and the international community that it truly wants to be a partner in peace with Armenia and the NKR. Baku must fully commit to the Royce-Engel proposals.

The choice for President Aliyev is clear: Either he subscribes to diplomatic negotiations with the Armenians under peaceful circumstances or continues with a belligerent and futile policy of attrition.

If he chooses the latter, he should know that every act of Azerbaijani aggression will only further validate the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s argument that it go the way of Kosovo. As a veteran of the Kosovo War, I truly hope Azerbaijan realizes that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should only be resolved through peaceful means.

Kirk has represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate since 2010 and was previously a five-term U.S. representative from the northern Chicago suburbs.

Armenia President: We will make Azerbaijan government to be accountable to its people

September 26, 2015 by administrator

YEREVAN. – The sixth meeting of the Armenian State Commission on Coordination of the events dedicated to the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which kicked off Saturday morning at the Office of the President of Armenia, continued at the Government Reception House.

“Dear compatriots,

Before going on to the agenda items, I have something to say about the events of the last two days.

On the eve of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly and amid the regular peacemaking efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-Chairs, before the eyes of the entire world, confident in is impunity, and inspired by the practice of numerous international players to put an equals sign between the conflicting sides’ actions, Azerbaijan again impenitently violated its obligations to maintain the ceasefire. As a consequence of the ceasefire violation, we have suffered painful losses: 4 Armenian young soldiers, the guardians of their motherland’s tranquility, were killed, and one day ago, in their own house, in their own garden, in front of their beloved people were killed 3 women, a mother, a sister and a daughter, who would take care of their family with their peaceful work.

They were killed because an entire world can’t make Azerbaijan understand that the path of human losses, bloodsheds, sufferings and tortures, and of drowning out the voice of its own citizens does not lead to peace, does not lead to prosperity, and does not lead to stability and security.

As demonstrated by the modern history of human kind, the path chosen by Azerbaijani authorities, the path of crimes against humanity either results in an international punishment or leads to the scaffold put up by own people completely run out of patience.

By deviating from the path to the peaceful resolution of the conflict, Azerbaijan is also deviating, gradually and steadily, from the path of other norms of international law. Gradually and steadily, Azerbaijan’s criminal regime is further plunging into the swamp of crimes against humanity.

The law of the civilized world calls upon humanity to put an end to the impunity of crimes against humanity. The Republic of Armenia is committed to this position. We will consistently reveal, disclose and persecute each committer of such crimes, starting from the private solider executing an order to the commander issuing such an order. Lacking alternatives, we ourselves will be humanity’s retributive sword against committers of these crimes. We will do it on our own as long as the civilized world is not able to find a more effective mechanism.

These are not mere words when we say that we do not afraid of war. Armenia and by Armenia I also mean Nagorno-Karabakh as its inseparable part, is one of the most armed zones on the earth. As you know, our grandfathers would say that no pilaf is given out during a battle. And throughout more than 20 years of the imposed ceasefire, which has been impossible to transform into peace on account of Baku’s authorities, we have tried our best to avoid a new confrontation. We will continue in the same vein, and that also includes the revenge for our fallen boys and civilians, and for our women. The enemy must not sleep quietly along the entire frontline, thinking that he has remained unpunished.

We will force Azerbaijan’s government to give an account to its people for causing them continued suffering. This much for now,” said President Serzh Sargsyan.