Armenia's former prosecutor general Kostanyan placed on wanted list
YEREVAN. Nov 28 (Interfax) - The Special Investigation Service (SIS) of Armenia has placed former prosecutor general Gevorg Kostanyan on the wanted list and is petitioning for his arrest.
"Kostanyan has been declared a fugitive. A court is being petitioned for a restraining measure in the form of arrest," the SIS told the local media.
Kostanyan, who is accused in a case over the March 2008 protests in Yerevan, said earlier that he had no intention of returning to his country from Russia before the end of the year.
The SIS summoned him to appear for arraignment within 48 hours.
The former prosecutor general told Armenian media that he is a lecturer at the Russian Academy of the Prosecutor General's Office and under this contract he cannot interrupt his work.
"The classes conclude at the end of the year and I will be able to return to Armenia," Kostanyan said.
He additionally said that the charges brought against him are "nonsense."
According to the charges, Kostanyan, who had served as Armenian deputy justice minister since 2006 and presidential aide since July 2008, committed acts of abuse of power and took part in "concealing a crime and forging evidence" as part of a team of high-ranking police officials "in order to conceal illegal actions of the police and the unconstitutional use of the army during the events in March 2008."
Kostanyan headed the Armenian Prosecutor General's Office in 2014-2016.