Former Governor Trdat Sargsyan Testifies in Case of Assault on Lieutenant Colonel Ara Mkhitaryan

In the court of general jurisdiction of Ararat and Vayots Dzor regions, presided over by Judge Harutyun Petrosyan, a hearing has commenced regarding the case of Harutyun Grigoryan, charged with brutally assaulting Lieutenant Colonel Ara Mkhitaryan. It is worth noting that Lieutenant Colonel Ara Mkhitaryan was violently attacked on September 18, 2019, in the yard of a building on Arsenyan Street in the city of Yeghegnadzor, and has been in a coma for nearly two years.

According to media reports, Mkhitaryan's relatives insist that former governor Trdat Sargsyan was directly involved in the violence against him, which led to Sargsyan's resignation announcement from his post as governor. The presence of the governor at the incident has also been corroborated by three witnesses, yet no charges have been filed against the former governor.

Charges have been brought against two individuals in the criminal case, with one segment being separated out and is currently under the jurisdiction of Judge Harutyun Petrosyan. According to a report by Factinfo, former governor Trdat Sargsyan provided testimony today in his capacity as a witness, arriving at the court with his lawyer. He stated that the defendant is the husband of his cousin's daughter, had worked for him as an assistant, and that he does not know the victim, having only met him during the confrontation.

Recalling the day of the incident, Sargsyan remarked that he had driven Harutyun Grigoryan to the governor's office, after which he went shopping and then returned home to rest. “I received a call from Harutyun Grigoryan, saying he is reaching my apartment and has something to say. He was in an agitated state, recounting some details about the incident. To gather more accurate information, I called the head of the regional police, met with him, and shared what I knew, and he in turn shared his information,” said Sargsyan, adding that the police chief advised him to have his assistant, Harutyun Grigoryan, report to the police, to which he did not object.

Sargsyan stated in court that after his meeting with the police chief, he told Grigoryan to go to the police. Furthermore, he declared in court that as far as he recalls, he was told that the victim had fallen, although he did not remember the precise source of this information. Once, he cited friends of the victim as the source of incorrect information, and another time, ambulance personnel.

In response to the prosecutor's observation that the victim and several witnesses have claimed to have seen Trdat Sargsyan at the scene, Sargsyan insisted that he was not at the site. “In the building where I lived, there was a dental clinic on the first floor, and the camera at the entrance clearly shows when I enter and exit the apartment. I was not at the scene, the testimonies are false. I believe that you will investigate what motivation the witnesses have for their testimonies and whether they acted out of fear to cover up their own situation, failing to help their friend,” Sargsyan declared, suggesting that an effort is being made to politicize the case.

The father of Lieutenant Colonel Ara Mkhitaryan also reacted, noting that if he is innocent and was not at the scene, it has been two years since the incident—at least one call should have been made.