Opposition MP slams release of police officer in Pashinyan motorcade after fatal crash

Panorama
Armenia –

MP Gegham Nazaryan of the opposition Hayastan bloc took to Facebook on Saturday to denounce the release of a police officer, who was involved in a deadly crash while escorting Nikol Pashinyan’s motorcade in Yerevan earlier this week.

Major Aram Navasardyan’s vehicle struck and killed a young pregnant woman, Sona Mnatsakanyan, when she was crossing a street in the city. He did not stop after the accident to help the victim.

The officer was arrested a few hours later. However, he was released from pre-trial custody on Friday after being charged with violating traffic rules.

Whereas, Nazaryan highlighted, many oppositionists, including Narek Mantashyan and Kajaran Mayor Manvel Paramazyan, remain in custody on frivolous charges.

“For a very long time, three MPs, including Armen Charchyan, Artur Sargsyan and Mkhitar Zakaryan, as well as Goris Mayor Arush Arushanyan and his deputy were arrested in a flagrant violation of the law,” he wrote.

The MP also pointed to the detentions of young opposition activists holding protests in Yerevan for a week now.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS