ARTUR SAKUNTS: THE SAME CAN HAPPEN TO ANY POLITICAL FORCE THAT WILL SEEK CHANGE OF POWER (VIDEO)

16:31 | April 8,2015 | Politics

Didn’t the law enforcement agencies violate human rights by arresting
seven members of the opposition Founding Parliament group?

“I shall refrain from making any comments as the investigation is in
progress,” Minister of Justice Hovhannes Manukyan said on Wednesday.

Asked how he assessed the arrest as a lawyer, Mr Manukyan said, “From
the legal point of view, I shall assess it as the man who serves as
Minister of Justice.”

The minister does not see a violation of the presumption of innocence
while the Investigative Committee of Armenia said yesterday it
prevented possible ‘mass disturbances’ during public events scheduled
for April 24 – the day when Armenians will be commemorating the
centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

“No names are given,” said Mr Manukyan.

Human rights activist Artur Sakunts says the arrest of the opposition
activists is ungrounded and the charges are fabricated. “They arrested
the people who, according to Serzh Sargsyan, are key figures in the
movement that is demanding his resignation,” he said.

Mr Sakunts says Serzh Sargsyan is doing everything to retain his power;
he is even applying violence and force against public.

“Today they are trying to intimidate the Founding Parliament. Tomorrow
it can be the Civil Contract or some other political force that will
seek a change of power,” he added.