Police in Yerevan detained late on Tuesday several bodyguards of two controversial pro-government parliamentarians and impounded some of their cars following a serious violation of traffic rules witnessed by the national police chief, Alik Sargsian.
The incident came as a further embarrassment for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) whose senior members and loyalists are regularly accused of unruly and violent behavior.
Sargsian said on Wednesday that three expensive SUVs raced through a street intersection in downtown Yerevan, ignoring the red light and exceeding speed limits. “The violation occurred in broad daylight before my and others’ eyes,” he said, adding that the police stopped the vehicles and detained their drivers and other passengers.
According to Sargsian, the detained individuals included bodyguards and “guests” of Ashot Aghababian, a businessman and parliament deputy from the HHK. Two of the three impounded cars belong to Aghababian, he said, claiming that the businessman did not ride in any of them during the incident.
Also briefly detained were bodyguards of Levon Sargsian (no relation), another wealthy lawmaker affiliated with the HHK. The police chief said it emerged during their interrogation that they had no involvement in the incident.
“Mr. Levon Sargsian was not involved in these actions,” he said, denying newspaper reports to the contrary. “He wasn’t in that motorcade and his bodyguards had no part in all this.”
Alik Sargsian was speaking at an extraordinary meeting of a “public council” tasked with overseeing the work of the Armenian police. He assured council members that he will do everything to rein in “infamous” bodyguards of wealthy businessmen and other government-connected individuals periodically linked with violent incidents reported in and outside Yerevan.
Both Aghababian and Levon Sargsian, who are better known to the public with their dubious nicknames, have a history of reportedly violent conduct, including against opposition members. As recently as last September, Sargsian was widely linked with the deadly beating of a man in a Yerevan café by a group of well-built individuals. They apparently mistook the victim for one of the café owners who worked at Armenia’s state television and radio at the time.
The well-known journalist, Artur Sahakian, said that the attackers were sent by Levon Sargsian, a claim denied by the latter. Sahakian also alleged a high-level police cover-up of the assault before emigrating to the United States with his family later in 2008.
Sargsian said on Wednesday that three expensive SUVs raced through a street intersection in downtown Yerevan, ignoring the red light and exceeding speed limits. “The violation occurred in broad daylight before my and others’ eyes,” he said, adding that the police stopped the vehicles and detained their drivers and other passengers.
According to Sargsian, the detained individuals included bodyguards and “guests” of Ashot Aghababian, a businessman and parliament deputy from the HHK. Two of the three impounded cars belong to Aghababian, he said, claiming that the businessman did not ride in any of them during the incident.
Also briefly detained were bodyguards of Levon Sargsian (no relation), another wealthy lawmaker affiliated with the HHK. The police chief said it emerged during their interrogation that they had no involvement in the incident.
“Mr. Levon Sargsian was not involved in these actions,” he said, denying newspaper reports to the contrary. “He wasn’t in that motorcade and his bodyguards had no part in all this.”
Alik Sargsian was speaking at an extraordinary meeting of a “public council” tasked with overseeing the work of the Armenian police. He assured council members that he will do everything to rein in “infamous” bodyguards of wealthy businessmen and other government-connected individuals periodically linked with violent incidents reported in and outside Yerevan.
Both Aghababian and Levon Sargsian, who are better known to the public with their dubious nicknames, have a history of reportedly violent conduct, including against opposition members. As recently as last September, Sargsian was widely linked with the deadly beating of a man in a Yerevan café by a group of well-built individuals. They apparently mistook the victim for one of the café owners who worked at Armenia’s state television and radio at the time.
The well-known journalist, Artur Sahakian, said that the attackers were sent by Levon Sargsian, a claim denied by the latter. Sahakian also alleged a high-level police cover-up of the assault before emigrating to the United States with his family later in 2008.