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Oskanian Stripped Of Immunity: Armenian Parliament Frees Path For Pr

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  • Oskanian Stripped Of Immunity: Armenian Parliament Frees Path For Pr

    OSKANIAN STRIPPED OF IMMUNITY: Armenian Parliament frees path for prosecution
    By Gayane Abrahamyan

    ArmeniaNow
    02.10.12 | 16:53

    The Armenian Parliament on Tuesday voted 64-6 to strip Prosperous
    Armenia Party (PAP) lawmaker and former Minister of Foreign Affairs
    Vartan Oskanian of his parliamentary immunity to allow his prosecution
    on money embezzlement charges after two days of debate that included
    strong suspicions about the political nature of the case. (One vote
    was invalid, and 60 deputies did not participate in the vote.)

    Reacting to the news of the vote Oskanian wrote on his Facebook page:
    "This injustice is not against me. It is against our people, ordinary
    citizens, the younger generation and in general against the future
    of our country."

    During the discussions that followed Prosecutor-General Aghvan
    Hovsepyan's presentation of his motion regarding Oskanian, not only the
    PAP, but also the three opposition factions of the National Assembly,
    namely Heritage, Dashnaktsutyun and the Armenian National Congress
    labeled it a "fabricated and baseless case".

    In his speech Oskanian himself said that Armenia had returned to
    1937 [the peak of the Stalin purges] and was acting on the Stalinist
    principle - "we'll find a criminal count to charge a person with if we
    find this person". "In this case they've found a person and a count,
    but can't find evidence," he said.

    Oskanian has been facing criminal proceedings since May 25,
    shortly after the PAP refused to form a coalition with the ruling
    Republican Party after parliamentary elections. In his petition
    the prosecutor-general said that Oskanian embezzled "a particularly
    large amount of money entrusted to him by the Huntsman family for the
    Civilitas Foundation and meant to be spent for charitable purposes"
    and after that "he carried out various activities to legalize those
    criminally obtained funds", i.e. was engaged in money laundering.

    The prosecutor-general stated that they are "protecting the interests
    of Civilitas."

    Meanwhile, at today's press conference assembled by Oskanian lawyers,
    Civilitas representative, attorney Artur Grigoryan told ArmeniaNow that
    "Civilitas' interests are not being defended, but are being grossly
    violated. Besides, the Civilitas Foundation and the Huntsman family
    do not need the Prosecutor's Office's protection," he said.

    Oskanian's lawyer Tigran Atanesyan said that the particular money
    embezzlement charge presented to his client has nothing to do with law.

    He clarifies that the letter presented on behalf of the Huntsman family
    and all members of the Foundation's Board of Trustees proves that a
    sum of $1.4 million was transferred to the account of Oskanian with
    the consent of all parties, for an indefinite period of time and to be
    used at his discretion. Last Saturday, Oskanian transferred the sum,
    which by that moment amounted to $1.5 million (including interest)
    to the Civilitas account.

    "That is, the full sum and extra money generated by interest have
    been transferred to the Foundation. If this is called embezzlement
    in our country, then I have no other legal interpretation of this,"
    said Atanesyan, stressing that a case on the hallmarks of money
    laundering had been brought against Oskanian because "it is a very
    dirty criminal case, something that is not forgiven and can damage
    a person's career and reputation."

    International criminal law specialist, consultant Nicholas Koumjian,
    who worked as an attorney for 30 years, said he was concerned with
    the timing of the prosecution.

    "It is not at all a coincidence that the PAP decided not to join
    the coalition and the next day this case was instituted. It has
    a deliberate and clear message to those who come out against the
    government that they will face prosecution. This is clear not only from
    the timing of the event, but also from the absence of investigation
    of the case as such," said Koumjian.

    The veteran attorney is surprised at how prosecutors can bring a case
    without even speaking to the Huntsman family first.

    "It's absolutely impossible, inconceivable, why wouldn't they even try
    to speak to the Huntsman family. There is no need to waive Oskanian's
    immunity to be able to speak with the Huntsmans," said the expert.

    In their speeches in the parliament chamber many MPs urged the
    prosecutor to conduct a "serious and comprehensive examination".




    From: A. Papazian
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