Armenia’s Former Defense Minister, Colonel General Mikael Harutyunyan is accused of having overthrown constitutional order in a preliminary agreement with others between February 23 and March 3, 2008, the Special Investigative Service informs.
A criminal case has been initiated under Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia (Usurping state power, i.e. seizure of state power, in violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, or keeping it with violence, as well as, actions aimed at the overthrowing of constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia, or the violent breach of territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia).
Mikael Harutyunyan is accused of breaching Article 8.2 of the Constitution that was in place in 2008, which stipulates that “The armed forces of the Republic of Armenia shall ensure the security, defense, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia as well as the inviolability of its borders. The armed forces shall maintain neutrality in political matters and shall be under civilian control,” as well as part 12 of Article 55, which states that only “in cases of armed attack against the Republic, imminent threat thereof or declaration of war the President shall declare martial law and may order general or partial mobilization and shall take a decision on the use of the armed forces.”
The Special Investigative Service says Mikael Harutyunyan and other officials actually declared a martial law in the republic in violation of the Constitution and used the armed forces for political purposes against citizens participating in peaceful rallies.
Investigation into the case is under way.
