On August 5, the Ad-Hoc Inquiry Committee into the events occurred on March 1-2, 2008 in Yerevan and their reasons with a view of submitting its conclusion to the National Assembly, convened its regular sitting, during which the members and the Chairman of the committee have presented the information on the visits and the works done and then the Deputy Head of the Police of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Alexander Afyan clarified the actions of the police in Azatutyun square, related to the events on March 1.

Mr. Samvel Nikoyan, presiding the sitting, informed that according to the certificate, received from the Prosecutor’s Office, there were 14 accused under detention yet, 9 persons signed for not leaving the city and 4 are in search.Within the framework of this case Mr. Nikoyan also transferred some data, related to the received applications from the relatives and lawyers of the accused. It was noted that the concern of the committee members on the MP Mr. Myasnik Malhkasyan’s health was presented to the Prosecutor’s Office, asking to take measures. The Chairman of the Committee considered more purposeful the committee members not to have separate talks with the arrested persons and investigators, but to be present at investigations.

The MPs met with the 2 arrested persons. Mrs. Hermineh Naghdalyan, the MP of the RPA faction, summing up the results of the meeting with Mr. Alexander Arzumanyan, noted that he has no any complain, related to the jail facilities or his health. Instead he was not satisfied with the long and passive investigation, considered the accusations groundless and demanded to hurry in investigations and the case to be transferred to the court as soon as it is possible. Mr. Alexander Arzumanyan during the talk stressed that he doesn’t need amnesty but only verdict of justification. Mr. Artyush Shahbazyan, representative of the ARF faction detailed on another prisoner, Mr. Armen Sirunyan. He considered groundless the accusations by the articles towards him the “complicity” and “abuse of the service position,” refuting the data of the National Security Service of his participation in the rally. He noted though being for Mr. Levon-Ter Petrosyan he participated in the rally just for a while.

Mr. Alexander Afyan, Deputy Head of the Police of the Republic of Armenia detailed the committee members on the activity of the police during the morning of March 1. He noted that on the basis of the operative data of February 29 on distributing arms to the demonstrators, the police detachments on March 1, at 6.45 am tried to make inspection, without weapon, in the Azatutyun Square, after noticing on it through loudspeakers. At first there were only 130 policemen, but, having met resistance, they called for the groups for help from the nearest streets and there were 600 policemen participating in the activities of the morning March 1. The number of the opposition was 800-900 in Azatutyun Square. The Deputy Head of the police refuted the news in circulation on detachments of Karabakh participating in it. According to Mr. Afyan they only aimed to make an inspection in the morning and not disperse the crowds in the square. After facing a resistance an operative staff was created and Mr. Afyan gave an order to recover public order.

The questions of the committee were various (Is there the video recording of the actions of the morning of March 1? When were the operative data received?  Was the opportunity of safe move of the population from the square taken into consideration, while planning the actions? Why the weapon was not entirely confiscated, with the reception of the data, but inspection was chosen instead? And whether the connection between the actions of the morning of March 1 and the disorders of the evening is revealed? Is the dispersal of 900 demonstrators balanced by 600 policemen?). Thus, the committee decided to invite the person, guiding all this, to one of the sitting of the committee to have a complete and detailed picture, related to the operative activities.