INDICTMENT READ OUT AT TRIAL OF NKR EX-DEFENSE MINISTER

PanARMENIAN.Net - 30.01.2001, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. Pleadings on the case of the terrorist act against NKR President began today at the Supreme Court of Nagorno Karabakh.

As the correspondent of Mediamax reports, Prosecutor Vahram Avakian noted that in the course of the 4-month preliminary investigation sufficient materials on the case were gathered, as a result of which the 16 accused appeared in the dock.

In the speech for the prosecution Vahram Avakian noted the role and the guilt of all the accused of the terrorist act. In particular, Samvel Babayan is accused of developing organizational activities for illegal restoration of his previous status by means of an attempt upon the life of NKR President Arkady Ghukasian, after he [Babayan] was released from the post of the Defense Minister on August 2, 1999. With this aim, the state prosecutor stated, S. Babayan organized a criminal group from devoted to him people, which in February 2000 realized 2 unsuccessful attempts to kill the president.

The trial of the accused of the terrorist act against NKR president Arkady Ghukasian began in Stepanakert on September 18. The main accused of the case is NKR ex defense minister Lieutenant-General Samvel Babayan. There are 16 people in total involved in this case. -0-