In Armenia, ex-vice-speaker Karapet Rubinyan released

Agvan Ovsepyan, General Public Prosecutor of Armenia, has ruled to change former vice-speaker of the National Assembly Karapet Rubinyan's freedom restriction measure. He was released under recognizance not to leave.

According to official sources, the Public Prosecutor's decision was caused by the fact that the basic required investigatory procedures in relation to Karapet Rubinyan are over, and there is no sense to keep him in custody. The competent bodies believe that K. Rubinyan will not escape or interfere with the investigation.

Mr Rubinyan was accused under Articles 300 ("Actions aimed at usurpation of power") and 225 ("Mass disorders, accompanied by a murder") of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

When at SIZO (pre-trial prison), Rubinyan went on hunger strike, but then stopped it after appeal of the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan.