Hovannes Harutyunyan, a Ter-Petrosian proxy in Yerevan’s Arabkir district, was actively participating in pre-electoral campaign. He is a well known and respected person in Law enforcement and Military circles. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for keeping cartridges at home.

Political persecutions against Mr. Harutyunyan started yet in 2007, when he declared his support to the candidature of LTP. Since then he was several times invited to Police for a “talk”. Afterwards representatives of the Police, in a “friendly” manner have requested him to give them his gun for a couple of days, Harutyunyan has refused them. Thus Law enforcement bodies were well aware that Mr. Harutyunyan legally possesses fire and hunting arms and, consequently, possesses also appropriate bullets, but only after the contested elections they have taken decision to search his residence.  

Accusation is based on the results of the search during which in the apartment of Mr. Harutyunuan police has found 30 bullets of 7.62 calibre and 20 years old 11 bullets of a smaller calibre.

In fact during the search Mr. Harutyunyan has voluntary presented to the Police all possessed arms and ammunition, an action which according to the CC RA Article 235 is exempting a person from criminal liability.

The search was conducted with the violation of required procedure: found bullets were not wrap up, sealed and signed. According to witnesses Policemen just put some bullets in their pockets. 

7.62 calibre bullets fit Harutyunian’s hunting gun and were purchased by the accused from the specialised store for his hunting rifle registered with the police. During the hearings procurer, while attempting to prove illegal procurement of ammunition, made a perplexing statement that “those bullets were bought in the specialised hunting shop, but not from that shop”.

Motions of defence lawyers during the court hearings, including the appeal to interrogate the fire arms expert and other witnesses were rejected by the Judge, who qualified that motion as “a waste of time”.