Details on the Case of the Murder Conspiracy Against Don Pippo, Oshakan's Gevork, and Zapi

The Armavir Region General Jurisdiction Court (Ejmiatsin location) today, under the presidency of Judge Vahe Khalatyan, rejected a request for the release of a defendant in the case concerning the conspiracy to murder the crime boss Don Pippo (Arthur Asatryan), the 'thief in law' Oshakan's Gevork (Gevorg Melikyan), and Zapi (Andranik Sogoyan) on the personal guarantees of several parliament members. This was reported by mitk.am.

The defendant in question is Zhorab Qumashyan, for whom personal guarantees were submitted by the Gagik Tsarukyan Alliance (BHK) members Artur Dallakyan, Janibek Hayrapetyan, and Kajik Gevorgyan.

Qumashyan's lawyer, Vahan Hovhannisyan, stated to the press that a request to release his client on a bail of 5 million drams was submitted in the previous hearing, but the court rejected it. “In the previous session, we had proposed a bail of 5 million drams or any amount that the court would deem necessary; in other words, any amount that relatives were ready to pay, but the court did not consider the bail as a sufficient guarantee for proper behavior... It generally did not address our arguments regarding the fact that Zhorab Qumashyan was arrested, and then detained solely based on the testimonies of defendants under duress. That is, no material evidence was found against him, nor was his connection to the defendants substantiated by any other factual circumstance or evidence. Therefore, the case against him is exceedingly weak. Under such conditions, the court did not take anything into account and rejected the bail,” he noted.

As a next step, today the defense requested to release Qumashyan based on personal guarantees from the parliament members. Hovhannisyan stated that three parliament members had appeared in court, declaring that they recognized Zhorab Qumashyan as an adequate individual with a positive character reference. They also stated that if the court accepted their request, they would take all necessary measures to ensure his proper behavior and would secure him a permanent job.

Vahan Hovhannisyan added that the victims recognized in the case have not attended any court sessions. The individuals referred to are Don Pippo (Arthur Asatryan), Oshakan's Gevork (Gevorg Melikyan), and Zapi (Andranik Sogoyan).

It should be recalled that on May 24, 2017, in one of the apartments in Ejmiatsin, Vazgen Ghazakhchyan, Artak Aivazyan, and Arkadi Kochinyan were neutralized, who were accused of preparing the murder of Don Pippo, Oshakan's Gevork, and Zapi. Those accused of conspiracy to commit their murder have been held in detention since May 2017. According to the charges, Zhorab Qumashyan, at the instigation of an unidentified individual, allegedly ordered Artak Aivazyan along with a group of individuals, with the preliminary consent of Vazgen Ghazakhchyan and Arkadi Kochinyan, with mercenary motives, and with intent to unlawfully deprive three individuals—Arthur Asatryan, Gevorg Melikyan, and Andranik Sogoyan—of life, overseeing and organizing actions directed at preparing the murders, during which he unlawfully obtained, transported, and kept firearms and ammunition.