Poghos Poghosyan’s Remains to be Exhumed 24 Years Later
The Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan, presided over by Judge Karen Farkhoyan, has decided to grant the public prosecutor’s motion and exhume the remains of Poghos Poghosyan, who was murdered at the “Aragast” cafe approximately 24 years ago.
According to the prosecution, the necessity for exhumation arose after the testimony given in May by the eyewitness to the incident, Steven Newton. Newton mentioned circumstances that, in the prosecutor’s conviction, may indicate that Poghosyan died not due to negligence (manslaughter), but intentionally (murder), possibly through the actions of several individuals.
It should be recalled that by the verdict issued on February 21, 2002, Aghamal Harutyunyan, a member of the security detail of the second president, was found guilty of negligently causing the death of Poghos Poghosyan. The incident occurred on September 25, 2001, at Yerevan’s “Aragast” cafe, after the 43-year-old Dashnaktsutyun party member attempted to greet the second President Robert Kocharyan, who was present there, according to eyewitnesses. Harutyunyan was sentenced to two years of imprisonment but did not serve his sentence in jail.
The Prosecutor’s Office currently suggests that the case may be reclassified as intentional murder under aggravating circumstances. Furthermore, Newton’s statements also imply the possible existence of other participants who were not previously involved in the case.