A prosecutor has launched public criminal prosecution against Armenia’s former police troops commander in the March 1 case over alleged negligent performance of official duties.
According to the statement, under a prosecutor’s Sept. 4, 2026 decision, public criminal prosecution was initiated against G.G. — Grigor Grigoryan, according to the editors — as part of criminal proceedings concerning the events that took place in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008. Grigoryan served as commander of Armenia’s police troops and deputy police chief from 2003 until July 2, 2008. He is being prosecuted under Part 2 of Article 376 of the Criminal Code adopted on April 18, 2003, concerning negligent performance of official duties that inadvertently caused serious consequences.
Under the prosecutor’s Sept. 4, 2026 decision, criminal prosecution against Grigoryan, who held the posts of commander of Armenia’s police troops and deputy police chief from 2003 until July 2, 2008, was initiated under Part 2 of Article 376 of the Criminal Code adopted on April 18, 2003, for negligent performance of official duties that inadvertently caused serious consequences.
“The criminal proceedings established that G.G., as commander, disregarding the absence in 2008 of the necessary legal acts regulating the use of special means by Armenia’s police troops, failed, as a result of negligent performance of his duties, to take measures to equip units under his command with serviceable and unexpired weapons and special means and to organize their safe and proper use.
“In particular, during the events of March 1, 2008, in areas adjacent to the intersection of Paronyan, St. Grigor Lusavorich and Leo streets and Mashtots Avenue in Yerevan, G.G., both directly and through commanders subordinate to him, ordered servicemen of Armenia’s police troops to fire Cheryomukha-7 tear-gas grenades designed for use in enclosed spaces from KS-23 special carbines toward protesters. In the absence of regulations governing the use of special means, expired and unserviceable special means subject to destruction were unlawfully deployed without warning, including Cheryomukha-7 tear-gas grenades designed for use in enclosed spaces, which were fired from KS-23 special carbines toward protesters. As a result, three participants in the demonstration died, two people suffered serious injuries and one person suffered injuries of moderate severity,” the statement said.
