Armenian National Congress
Koryun 19A, IV floor, Yerevan 0009
Tel: (37410) 52.09.74
February 13, 2010
Statement on Arrest of Saribek Sukiasyan
The regime continues to rely on political persecutions as its only
means of survival – targeting ordinary people and political and
business figures alike. Since the very moment when prominent
businessman Khachatur Sukiasyan and his family publicly announced
their support for the candidacy of the founder-president of the
country Levon Ter Petrosyan, they too became one of the primary
targets of the regime’s unlawfulness. The `Bjni’ mineral water factory
was illegally taken away from them, the circle of their business
activities was curbed by imposing various barriers to the maximum
possible extent, incurring huge material and moral losses.
.
On 12 February, continuing persecutions against this business family,
special police forces, without any warning or presenting any legal
basis, barbarically attacked the `Sil" Group headquarters belonging to
Sukiasyans and took the chairman of `Armeconombank’ board Saribek
Sukiasyan and another employee of the `Sil’ Group to the police
station. They were kept at the police station illegally – reasons for
their arrest were not provided and they were deprived of the
possibility to use legal aid. The official statement issued by the
police, which is full of contradictions, shows that the regime has
fabricated yet another case against Sukiasyans and the charges have
nothing to do with the reality.
The Armenian National Congress strongly condemns this yet another
shameful act of the regime aimed at intimidating the public and
consider it to be a vivid example of political score settling, draws
the attention of local and international advocacy structures to this
fact and demands immediate release of the detainees.