The War is at Our Doorstep, Yet We Are Occupied with Trials from Morning till Evening - Aram Sargsyan

“We do not need a political trial regarding the October 27 case like the previous administrations did,” said Aram Sargsyan, brother of the late General Vazgen Sargsyan, during a conversation with journalists today at the Yerablur military pantheon, 20 years after the October 27 tragedy.

“But for that, we need to have a corresponding country and state, we need to strengthen our state. The war is at our doorstep, and we are occupied with these trials from morning till evening. Those trials will wait, but the war will not wait; we have serious issues regarding the country's economy, the development of the country, and of course, the reform of the judicial system. Without the reform of that system, no trial will inspire hope,” he stated.

Aram Sargsyan expressed his desire that the trial following the tragedy would reveal the case, yet it wasn’t disclosed due to its political context. “Because the current government claimed that it was a case of an accomplice, and they did everything to bring the issue to trial with their prosecutor focused on those five individuals and claim that these five are the culprits, and that is it. Now we have a political situation where the Armenian judicial system is facing serious problems, and we also have issues in the Constitutional Court,” added the former Prime Minister.

Aram Sargsyan reaffirmed his stance that he would not want the case to be reopened at this stage. “The authorities do not raise any doubts in this regard, and it is obvious that they are interested in uncovering the case. The case is indeed political, and there has already been one political trial during which different people conducted the trial for various purposes, and as a result, the outcomes did not satisfy anyone. Now, we are in a situation where the main perpetrator is also watching, who has a television in his cell. He is following all political processes, making assumptions and conclusions, and like anyone in prison who wants to get out soon, he might think of various scenarios that could be advantageous for him,” noted Vazgen Sargsyan’s brother.

Aram Sargsyan believes that Nairi Hunanyan is capable of anything and knowing that the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, is sitting in the neighboring cell, he might attempt to exploit that circumstance, saying things that may hold truth but could also serve his own interests. “I think that complex trials like October 27 should occur at times when the judicial system is fully formed, when there is serious public trust, and when the state is truly strengthened. We need to focus on our country’s economy, the strength of our army, perhaps leaving the issues of trials for later, when we have become a strong state. Only then can we verify the external political scenario. I do not think that today's Republic of Armenia can verify the external political scenario at a time when the President of Russia comes to Armenia and wants to meet Robert Kocharyan, or when the Russian embassy meets with Kocharyan's wife, or when their authorities support Kocharyan who is accused of many charges. The reopening of the October 27 case may take on a political context, which I categorically opposed,” concluded Aram Sargsyan, emphasizing that what they need is only justice.