The prosecution of opposition figure Mikayel Badalyan is politically motivated, his lawyers Erik Aleksanyan and Jirayr Gharagyozyan said in a joint statement on Friday. Badalyan was arrested for one month on May 24. The full statement is below.

"A motion to release Liberation Movement leader Mikayel Badalyan on bail has been filed to the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction.

It is known that Mikayel Badalyan, as a pro-Russian political figure, has always made efforts to ensure that public sentiments do not negatively impact Armenian-Russian relations and to further strengthen the centuries-old warm relations between the friendly states. However, his arrest shows that the Armenian authorities have deviated from the right path and have now stabbed their ally in the back.

The persecution of Mikayel Badalyan is totally politically motivated and is aimed at silencing him and stopping his pro-Russian activities.”