March 1 protesters were unarmed, says Police Chief of Armenia

Police Chief of Armenia Valeriy Osipyan says he doesn’t rule out that the March 1 case might involve police officers.

“Different units were included, but this doesn’t mean that everyone are subject to responsibility, or that they are subject to responsibility at all. Falsifying a document itself is a criminally liable act, I cannot say who had done it, or whether it is possible to be done….let’s not rule out anything, if there are such [persons] they must be held to account,” Osipyan told reporters after today’s Cabinet meeting.

At the same time he claimed that the protesters did not possess firearms or ammunition during the March 1 events. “But we have all seen sticks and other [things]. Address these questions to those who were superiors during those days,” Osipyan said, noting that he hasn’t been summoned for questioning over this case.

Earlier the Special Investigation Service released a statement saying that the investigation into the March 1 case has revealed evidence that high ranking police officials had falsified documents following the March 1 events in 2008 in order to conceal and misrepresent the actions of police and to justify the use of force. The falsified documents claimed that the protesters were armed.

The March 1 case is an ongoing investigation into the deadly 2008 post election unrest in Yerevan. 10 people, including two police officers, were killed in the clashes between security forces and protesters.