Monday, December 24 2018 14:29

ArmInfo. In Yerevan, a protest is being held against the decision of the court on changing the preventive measure of former MP Manvel Grigoryan, accused of  illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, as well as embezzlement  on a particularly large scale, from arrest to bail in the amount of  25 million drams.

The rally participants initially gathered in front of the RA General  Prosecutor's Office building, demanding a meeting with Prosecutor  General Arthur Davtyan, and threatening to otherwise block the roads  in Yerevan and Echmiadzin. Soon Davtyan came out to the participants  of the action, and stated that he agreed with their demand, moreover,  the Prosecutor General's Office appealed to the Court of Appeal with  a claim to reconsider the verdict of the court of general  jurisdiction. At the same time, Davtyan found it difficult to say  when there will be a court decision, and what verdict will be  rendered, referring to the independence of the judicial system.  Davtyan also revealed details of the verdict of the court on the  revision of the measure of restraint of Grigoryan. According to him,  the court as a whole did not dispute the legality of his arrest,  however, he considered that taking into account the state of health  of a retired general, it would be more expedient to release him on  bail. At the same time, the Prosecutor General stated that he did not  agree with this decision, since he was inclined to think that, while  at large, Grigoryan would impede the investigation. He also disagreed  with the argument of the court of general jurisdiction about the  incompatibility of Grigoryan's state of health with his detention.

When journalists asked about whether diabetes and oncology compatible  with Grigoryan are compatible with the arrest, Davtyan gave a vague  answer: "The examination, which is not yet concluded, should solve  this issue".  After the meeting with the Prosecutor General, the  protesters decided to march to the building of the Court of Appeal  and demand the resignation of David Balayan, a judge of general  jurisdiction, who changed the measure of restraint to Grigoryan.

In parallel with the protest, attorney Grigorian Levon Bagdasaryan,  who, in turn, revealed the motives of the investigative body to keep  the retired general under arrest, held a press conference. According  to him, the investigative body refers to the fact that if he is free,  Grigoryan can leave for Artsakh, and since, as the result indicates,  Artsakh does not have status, it will be almost impossible to  extradite Grigoryan from there by legal means. He also said that at  the present time Grigoryan is not limited in movement.  The lawyer  also stressed that the Prosecutor General's Office, which appealed  the decision of the court of general jurisdiction on changing the  preventive measure of Grigoryan, should provide evidence of how the  former MP at large can interfere with the investigation. He also  assured that Grigoryan himself is interested in a fair investigation  and trial. "And if this does not happen, we will appeal to the  European Court of Human Rights," Baghdasaryan threatened.

He also reported that the investigation has now somewhat deviated  from the criminal plane into a civil one.  "After examining the case  for several months from a criminal perspective and not finding the  corpus delicti, the investigation turned into civil law, forcing the  village seniors to testify about the illegality of land privatization  transactions by Grigoryan," said Baghdasaryan.