23:20, 18 May 2011

In Armenia, court extends arrest of high-ranking police officer

The court of general jurisdiction of the administrative districts Kentron and Nork-Marash of Yerevan has ruled to extend by two more months the custody of Major-General Ovannes Tamamyan, ex-head of the Chief Department of Criminal Investigation of the Police of Armenia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 24 the court decided to arrest Tamamyan for the period of two months under charges of "abuse of power." He is under threat of 2-6 years of imprisonment.

The criminal case against Ovannes Tamamyan was initiated by the Special Investigatory Service on January 10, 2011. Tamamyan, together with Varazdat Adamyan, head of the Arabkir Police Department, are accused of deliberate distortion of the facts of investigation of the murder, committed on May 12, 2010, in the Arabkir District, as a result of which a citizen who had committed the murder, was summoned as a witness only and, thereby, escaped criminal liability.

Author: Inessa Sargsyan

Source: CK correspondent