The government or the prime minister do not decide whom to arrest and release: all actions are being carried out legally, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters.

“I don’t put a task before the National Security Service to make a major discovery. I say that there should be legality”, Pashinyan said.

Commenting on people’s skepticism that the NSS detains people, then releases, the PM said, quite the contrary, this should inspire trust that if there are concrete evidences on a concrete case, they are being exercised, and if not, not. “The government and I are not calling anyone and telling to arrest this person or release. All actions should be legal by 100%. There are no untouchable persons in Armenia, but those who are untouchable by law, there are also ways to overcome their immunity by law”, the PM said.

Commenting on the NSS’ recent actions in connection with the family of Alexander Sargsyan, brother of the third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the PM said the government has not been the initiator, and it has not been an end in itself. “A citizen applied to me that he is facing such a problem. I have written to the NSS. And the National Security Service invited the citizen. He provided an explanation, reported on the crime, and the process launched”, Nikol Pashinyan said.