YEREVAN. – The Parliamentary group of opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) took a form from Armenian Parliament Speaker at 5.55 p.m. on Thursday for inviting an extraordinary parliament seating, the press secretary of the Armenian Parliament Gohar Poghosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to the ‘Parliamentary Rule of Procedure’ after taking the blank form ANC must collect 44 signatures and present the form to the Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan in 24 hours. Right after that the speaker must process the application.

To note, ANC has 7 MPs, Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Heritage have 5 MPs each, so in order for ANC to collect 44 signatures Prosperous Armenia Party must also join in.

Earlier Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that Opposition Armenian National Congress’ (ANC) Parliament group issued a statement with an initiative to convene a special session.

“Considering [the fact] that the crimes that were committed at Harsnaqar Restaurant Complex have received a wide public resonance,  

Noting that a response [to these developments] by the National Assembly [Parliament] will contribute to weakening the social tension, 

Noting that an NA MP’s involvement and accountability is touched upon in connection with the incidents,

Taking into account that the incidents’ inadequate and incomplete criminal-legal assessment could negatively impact the Armenian Army’s moral and psychological condition, [and]

Taking into account the consultations held with representatives from Prosperous Armenia, ARF, and Heritage [parties] parliament groups, 

We [hereby] decide to convene on July 17 at 12pm, together with MPs from other groups, a special NA session with an agenda to adopt an NA decision on forming an ad hoc NA commission to study the circumstances [of the incident] at Harsnaqar,” the ANC’s statement reads in particular. 

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, an incident had occurred at Armenian capital city Yerevan’s Harsnaqar restaurant on June 17, where several military doctors including Edgar Mikoyan, Arkadi Aghajanyan, Garik Soghomonyan, Artak Bayadyan and Vahe Avetyan were brutally beaten by the security personnel. Vahe Avetyan died in hospital on June 29. A criminal case is launched and the Police have detained six people.

The restaurant’s owner is a businessman Ruben Hayrapetyan, who is an influential figure, ruling Republican Party of Armenia former MP, who resigned after the scandal, but remained president of Football Federation of Armenia.