The fact that the court rejected the Prosecutor General`s petition for a change of preventive punishment for Vardan Martirosyan, the former commander of the Ararat military unit, is unprecedented event, Hrayr Karapetyan, Chairman of the Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs, RA Parliament, told journalists.  

"The court`s decision just defies imagination. The court made the decision even after the Prosecutor General filed a petition. And if mass media are right and Vardan Martirosyan was released for showing repentance, it is unacceptable. If a person commits a crime he must be called to account no matter he repents or not. If so all the criminal ca show repentance and go unpunished. It is impermissible," Karapetyan said. He promised to keep track of the developments and talk to Ministry of Defense officials.


Armenian News-NEWS.am reminds readers that Vardan Martirosyan, nicknamed "Ugly Mug" and his "buddy" Lieutenant Colonel Artur Kachatryan were dismissed for forcing soldiers into borrowing bank loans. Armenian mass media report that the extorters were released just a few days after being detained. Commander of the 4th Corps Grisha Khachaturov, son of Chief of the Joint Staff, RA Armed Forces, General Yuri Khachaturov, handed in his resignation as protest against his friends` detention. The other day General Yuri Khachaturov "sponsored" Ugly Mug`s restoration on work at the Operations Department of the Joint Staff. Mass media report Artur Karapetyan will resume his functions as well.