On March 10 the General Prosecutor’s Office publicized the details of the murder of Tigran Naghdalian, the Chairman of the Public TV and Radio Company of Armenia, committed on December 28, 2002. As it has been reported, previously the law and order bodies had arrested six participants of the crime (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 1-7, 2003).
According to the communication of the Public Relations and Information Department of the RA General Prosecutor’s Office, in November 2002 Leva Harutiunian hires his relative Gegham Shakhbazian to kill Tigran Naghdalian, promising to pay him ,000. In early December Shakhbazian addressed his colleague Hovhannes Harutiunian (bearing the nickname of "Aper") to inform him about the arrangement with Leva Harutiunian, as well as gain additional guarantees. Promising to verify the validity of the order, Hovhannes Harutiunian in a few days informed Shakhbazian that the issue had been duly discussed and the order stands. He also said that from now on Shakhbazian should contact him on every organizational matter of the "case", and he will be paid ,000 for the order. During the subsequent days Hovhannes Harutiunian gave -6,000 in parts to Shakhbazian for the preparations, promising to pay the remainder after the murder.
Further, the communication of the General Prosecutor’s Office says that to commit the crime Shakhbazian gathered a group, comprised of John Harutiunian and the latter’s friend Felix Arustamian. A few days later Shakhbazian received from Hovhannes Harutiunian and gave the immediate executors of the crime the illegally purchased guns "Makarov" and "TT" with cartridges. Further Shakhbazian by his personal car with other group members followed Tigran Naghdalian for a few days, determining his route. After which it was decided to kill the journalist as he would be leaving his parents’ house. The murder was committed by John Harutiunian, who left the crime site by the car of Shakhbazian who was waiting for him together with Felix Arustamian. On December 29 Hovhannes Harutiunian gave Shakhbazian ,000 divided among the group members.
According to the General Prosecutor’s Office, the members of the gang are charged with committing a premeditated crime with aggravating circumstances and with the illegal purchase, bearing and storage of arms and ammunition. On the case Samvel Abrahamian and Samvel Harutiunian are also arrested on the charge of concealing the crime and illegal storage of arms and ammunition.
As to Hovhannes Harutiunian, he has been announced wanted by the General Prosecutor’s Office since March 6. On March 13 on the case of Tigran Naghdalian’s assassination Grigor Petrosian (bearing the nickname of "Mzdoi Grigor") was announced wanted, too.
The officially disclosed details of this crime are actively commented on by the media of the country. A number of pro-governmental media added a note to the official communication of the law and order bodies, informing that Hovhannes Harutiunian, currently wanted by the police, is a second cousin to Aram Sargsian (a member of the Political Council of opposition "Respublika" party, the brother of Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian, assassinated during the terrorist attack in the Parliament on October 27, 1999), and the other ordered of the crime, Leva Harutiunian, is the father of Armen Sargsian’s (the brother of Aram Sargsian) godson. On their behalf, the opposition media publish the opinion of Aram Sargsian, who, while confirming these familial relations, announces he was one of the most interested people to see Tigran Naghdalian alive (as a witness on the case of October 27). To the same extent, as Aram Sargsian notes, he wishes nothing would happen to the other witnesses on the case, as well as the executors of the terrorist attack.
