Investigations into the Suicides of Georgi Kutoyan and Haik Harutyunyan Resumed

The newspaper "Zhoghovurd" reports: "According to reliable sources, investigations into the cases of the suicides of former NSS Director Georgi Kutoyan and former Police Chief Haik Harutyunyan have been resumed. What is the reason the preliminary investigation body has decided to re-examine the suicides that occurred years ago? As is known, previously investigators would suspend unresolved criminal cases. Now, everything has changed.

The new Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia clearly defines that either the criminal proceedings are terminated, or criminal prosecution is initiated against someone and sent to court with an accusatory conclusion. In other words, the Criminal Procedure Code no longer provides a legal procedure for suspending unresolved criminal proceedings. Previously, investigators would suspend criminal cases and leave them in their 'safes' for years; now, they must continue the investigation.

It is worth recalling that on January 12, 2020, former NSS Director Georgi Kutoyan committed suicide, leading to the initiation of criminal proceedings. A year later, in 2021, the preliminary investigation into the criminal case regarding Kutoyan's death was suspended by the Investigative Committee's main division for especially important cases. On September 24, 2019, former Police Chief Haik Harutyunyan, who was charged in the March 1 case, also committed suicide, prompting another criminal case that was suspended two years later.

Now, it must be determined whether there are any defendants in these cases or not." For more details, see today's issue of the newspaper.