No Criminal Case to Be Initiated against Kocharian Based on Shirkhanyan's Two Reports: Special Investigative Service

The initiation of a criminal case regarding the falsification of the results of the 1998 presidential elections, as mentioned in a letter by former Deputy Minister of Defense Vahan Shirkhanyan, has been rejected, according to Marina Ohanyan, spokesperson for the Special Investigative Service (SIS).

"During the preparation of materials at the SIS, Vahan Shirkhanyan also provided explanations regarding the issuance of false certificates about Robert Kocharian's citizenship by the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia. Based on the prepared materials, a decision has been made to reject the initiation of a criminal case due to the grounds stipulated in Article 35, Part 1, Points 6 and 8 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia. The rejection regarding the falsification of election results is based on the lapse of the statute of limitations for prosecuting that crime, and regarding the issuance of false certificates by the Special State Protection Service (SSPS), there are grounds based on an irrevocable decision made back in 2000 to abandon the same charges against the individual," the spokesperson stated.

The SIS made this decision recently.

The media notes that Shirkhanyan recently provided a letter consisting of 23 points directed at Robert Kocharian, which was a response to the book published by the second President. Following this letter, Vahan Shirkhanyan was summoned by the SIS, provided explanations, after which it was announced that materials were being prepared concerning the falsification of the 1998 elections.