VZCZCXRO4692
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHYE #0296/01 0980302
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070302Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7345
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0627
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0587

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KJUS AM
SUBJECT:  ARMENIAN GENERAL'S SON ALLEGEDLY INVOVLED IN MURDER, BUT 
NOT CHARGED 
 
YEREVAN 00000296  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
(U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (SBU) Armenia's Association of Investigative Journalists has 
reported that the son of a notorious retired army general and Member 
of Parliament, Seyran Saroyan, has escaped justice for his alleged 
participation in the March 13 murder of a youth from Edjmiadzin. 
The murder allegedly took place at the orders of the general 
himself, who had become enraged when hearing three rival youth had 
wounded his son with a knife.  These youth had reportedly tried to 
stop the general's son's unwelcome advances toward a young lady in 
the city.  Police have charged one of the general's distant 
relatives with premeditated murder, but it remains unclear whether 
that relative was indeed present at the scene.  This and other 
similar incidents in recent years reinforce the impression of many 
ordinary Armenians that there is a class of well-connected 
individuals and oligarchs here who, along with their families and 
security details, can rob, kill, and maim with impunity.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
BACKGROUND OF THE MURDER:  GENERAL'S ORDER FROM MOSCOW 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On March 21 the Association of Investigative Journalists 
published a report in its online Hetq (Trace) journal detailing the 
murder of the 23-year-old Sepuh Karapetian.  Basing its report on a 
friend of the deceased who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of 
retaliation, Hetq reported that Zarzand Saroyan, the son of the 
notorious retired army general, former corps commander, and Member 
of Parliament Seyran Saroyan, participated in the murder along with 
his father's bodyguards and a relative.  The anonymous friend told 
Hetq that his friend was murdered in retaliation for trying to ask 
Zarzand Saroyan to cease his unwelcome advances toward an Edjmiadzin 
young lady.  When Karapetian, his brother and another friend raised 
the issue with Saroyan, a fight broke out, and Karapetian's friend 
wounded Zarzand with a knife -- allegedly in self-defense.  Hetq 
wrote in its March 21 report that Edjmiadzin police initially 
brought criminal charges against Sepuh's older brother for his 
involvement in the altercation. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Upon learning about the incident the same day, General 
Saroyan, who was in Moscow at the time, allegedly urged his son to 
exact revenge on the youth.  The younger Saroyan, with approximately 
eight of the ex-general's bodyguards, then allegedly proceeded to 
track down the three youth and, upon locating them, subjected them 
to a savage beating.  According to Karapetian's anonymous friend, 
when the 23-year-old's body was found, it showed signs of torture. 
Karapetian's shoes and socks had been removed and his feet beaten to 
a pulp; the deceased's legs had turned white from repetitive blows; 
and his hands had been pierced by a sharp implement in the manner of 
a crucifixion.  (NOTE:  General Saroyan is a member of the ruling 
Republican Party of Armenia faction in the parliament, though not a 
member of the party itself.  END NOTE.) 
 
------------------------ 
POLICE RESPONSE PUZZLING 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) On March 14 the Police posted a report on its website that 
they had received a phone call late on March 13 from the 2nd Yerevan 
Hospital stating it had received a patient from Echmiatsin who died 
without regaining consciousness.  The initial examination of the 
body showed wounds to the face and head.  Police later identified 
the man as Sepuh Karapetian.  Upon an inquiry from the Embassy, 
Sayat Shirinian, spokesperson of Armenia's national police, told 
Emboff that an investigation into the death was in progress, but 
that he could provide no further details.  Shirinian, who during the 
conversation showed his lack of familiarity with details of the 
case,  surmised to Emboff that Hetq's online report would be checked 
during the investigation. 
 
¶5. (SBU) In a follow-up report, Hetq reported that on March 31 the 
Public Relations Division of the Police had informed them about the 
arrest of Arayik Saroyan in connection with the case, who has since 
been charged with premeditated murder.  Arayik Saroyan is reportedly 
the second cousin of General Saroyan, through the General's father's 
side of the family.  According to Hetq, General Saroyan's father was 
present at the scene of the crime with eight other persons.  Hetq 
has been unable, however, to ascertain whether Arayik Saroyan was 
indeed there as well. 
 
 
YEREVAN 00000296  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
AUTOPSY COVER-UP ALLEGED WHILE YOUTH IN HIDING 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6. (SBU) According to the anonymous source of Hetq's report, Yerevan 
forensic experts who examined Karapetian's corpse unsuccessfully 
tried to conceal the signs of torture.  The same source said the 
victim's family had initially wanted to protest Karapetian's cruel 
death and demand justice by placing his coffin in Edjmiadzin's 
central square.  (NOTE:  Edjmiadzin is the location of Armenia's 
Holy See and the residence of Armenia's supreme religious figure, 
the Catholicos.  END NOTE.)  They reconsidered, though, out of fear 
for their elder son who is still in hiding and being sought by 
police and allegedly by thugs in the employ of General Saroyan. 
Hetq also alleged in its March 21 report that in 2007 the same 
Zarzand Saroyan was involved in a hit-and-run with two 10-year-old 
boys that left one dead and the other crippled. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶7. (SBU) Sadly this would not be the first time that members of the 
ruling elite have behaved as a law unto themselves or been involved 
in gruesome murders.  We customarily hear reports several times per 
year of influential generals or oligarchs, or their families or 
retainers, being involved in violent altercations with average 
citizens unlucky or imprudent enough to get in their way.  Such 
incidents are routinely swept under the carpet.  Yerevan residents 
also still mention the 2001 incident in which an inebriated 
Georgian-Armenian man was beaten to death by President Kocharian's 
security detail after speaking flippantly to the president during a 
Yerevan jazz cafe concert.  One member of the security detail was 
sentenced to probation for that incident.  It is precisely incidents 
such as these that deepen Armenians' feelings of helpless rage that 
there is a class of wealthy and thuggish regime supporters who are 
effectively free to maim and kill ordinary citizens with impunity. 
 
PENNINGTON