Former Deputy Chief of Police Faces Charges Again in March 1 Case

Former Deputy Chief of Police Sasha Afyan has once again been declared a defendant in the March 1 case. The Prosecutor General of Armenia, Anna Vardapetyan, has revoked the decision made on January 30, 2020, to discontinue criminal proceedings against Afyan, effective from August 11, 2025. This decision was based on complaints from the victims of the March 1 criminal proceedings.

It is important to recall that it was established during the criminal proceedings that Sasha Afyan, who was appointed as Deputy Chief of Police under the Government by the decree of the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, on February 12, 2008, organized actions to disperse peaceful protesters in Yerevan's Liberty Square on March 1, 2008. He did this in collusion with others, using force and special means, with the aim of preventing possible demonstrations and gatherings, causing significant harm to the rights and legal interests of individuals, as well as to the legitimate interests of society and the state.

On October 26, 2019, charges were brought against Sasha Afyan under Article 38-309, Part 2 of the Criminal Code enacted on April 18, 2003. The criminal proceedings against him were discontinued on January 30, 2020, due to the expiration of statutory time limits.

On July 28, 2025, the Prosecutor General's Office received complaints from two victims regarding the criminal proceedings. The complainants indicated that they had not received notification about the decision to discontinue the charges against Sasha Afyan and only learned about it recently through articles published online. They expressed their dissatisfaction with this decision and requested its review.

Taking into account the complaints from the victims and reviewing the materials of the criminal case number 62202608, the Prosecutor General recognized that the decision made by the investigator on January 30, 2020, to discontinue the public criminal prosecution against Sasha Afyan under Article 38-309, Part 2 of the Criminal Code enacted on April 18, 2003, is subject to revocation. This is in light of the established prohibition on applying statutory time limits regarding the alleged act attributed to Sasha Afyan (including the Supreme Court's decision in the Grisha Virabyan case).

The Prosecutor General, among other legal norms, based on the legal positions expressed in the decision issued by the Supreme Court on November 26, 2021, regarding Criminal Case No. EД/0273/01/19, has deemed the citizens' complaints legally binding (ex jure), thus revoking the Investigator's decision made on January 30, 2020.