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Armenia’s former Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan has not been charged in the scope of the criminal case investigating the circumstances of the March 1 post-election violence, Chairman of the Special Investigative Service (SIS) Sasun Khachatryan told reporters after today’s Cabinet meeting.

He promised to update the public if charges are brought against anyone as part of the March 1 case, reports Panorama.am.

Meantime, Khachatryan refused to provide any information on the ex-PM’s possible interrogation over the case, saying it is a pre-investigation secret.

Speaking about Hovik Abrahamyan’s brother, Henrik Abrahamyan arrested on suspicion of illegal arms procurement and possession, the SIS chief said he has a status of suspect at the moment.

The National Security Service said in a statement on Wednesday that it found large quantities of illegally stored weapons in the property of a former mechanical plant belonging to Hovik Abrahamyan, naming three hand-held machine guns, 7 AK-74 assault rifles, two sniper rifles, bullets and ammunition among the findings.

Khachatryan explained the link between those weapons and the March 1 case. “It has been repeatedly stated that in addition to the army, there have been armed groups involved in the March 1 events. This version is being investigated at the moment,” he said.

Asked whether those weapons have been applied by the ex-PM’s allies during the post-election unrest, he said that version is under investigation.

The SIS head also commented on the possible questioning of Armenia’s third president Serzh Sargsyan over the March 1 case, noting every person who may provide any information on the case is to be questioned.

Seryan Ohanyan, Armenia’s former defense minister who was serving as the army chief in that period, has not been charged as well.

Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan is arrested on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order in the country with a group of people in the scope of the criminal case launched into the March 1 post-election crackdown in Armenia, which left eight civilians and two police officers dead.  

He has dismissed the charges as politically motivated.