11:50, 19 November 2003

Killed Armenian prime minister's brother sentenced to 15-year imprisonment

The Court of Yerevan's Tsentr and Nork-Marash Communes announced a verdict in the case on the murder of the well-known TV reporter, chairman of the republican Public TV and Radio Company Tigran Nagdalian.

The court backed up the side of the prosecution and sentenced Armen Sarkisian, a brother of Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian killed as a result of the terrorist act in the Armenian parliament in October 1999, to 15-year imprisonment for arranging and chartering the journalist's murder.

The direct performer of the crime, John Arutyunian, was also sentenced to 15-year imprisonment. Feliks Arustumian and Gegam Shakhbazian were sentenced to 12 and 11 years of imprisonment correspondingly for their complicity in the murder.

The court took into account the exceptional assistance of Ovannes Arutyunian and Grigor Petrosian in solving the crime and their utmost repentance for the act committed and sentenced them to 7-year imprisonment. Four more prisoners at the bar were discharged.

Tigran Nagdalian was murdered at the entrance of his parents' house on December 28, 2002.