Fact: Hayrapetov Refuses to Testify Against Kocharian, Asking Not to Be Involved in Political Settlements

The newspaper 'Fact' reports that, according to a source close to the authorities, the main reason for the dismissal of the former head of the National Security Service's Special Forces, General Grigor Hayrapetov, was the renewed investigation by the authorities into the criminal case regarding the murder of Poghos Poghosyan on the night of September 24-25, 2001, at the 'Aragasht' café.

According to this source, Hayrapetov was offered to testify related to this case, to 'remember' and state that Robert Kocharian had ordered Poghosyan to be beaten. However, Hayrapetov refused, saying that he could not give such testimony as it did not correspond to reality.

The proposer started hinting that the new government had treated him well, that he had received a promotion, and had been given the rank of general. Nevertheless, Hayrapetov declined, stating that things did not happen that way and requesting not to mix him up in political debts.

He was given time to think, and seeing that there was no compromising material against him, an order was issued abruptly to dismiss him from his position.

Our source also added that other officers from the Special Forces, who had accompanied Robert Kocharian and Charles Aznavour that day, were approached with the same offer, but no results have emerged yet.

For more details, see the newspaper's current issue.