THE REGIME IS CLEANING UP IN PREPARATION FOR PUTIN’S VISIT: ON THE ARRESTS OF OPPOSITIONISTS
04.08.2015 18:33 epress.am
Today, April 8, about a hundred members and supporters of the
“Founding Parliament” civil initiative held a protest in front of
the Erebuni Detention Facility in Yerevan demanding the release of
the six leaders of the initiative arrested on Tuesday, April 7.
“Heritage” faction MP Zaruhi Postanjyan, who attended the protest
action, entered the detention facility and met with the arrested
oppositionists. “Founding Parliament” coordinator Jirayr Sefilian
and the other five men, as Postanjyan later told the people gathered
in front of the building, had some health complaints, but said that
they had not been subjected to violence. The MP also stated that the
initiative’s plans on April 24 remained unchanged.
“The regime is afraid. Obviously, only a fearful person resorts to
extreme steps. I demand that all of the arrested men are set free
immediately,” Postanjyan said.
According to the MP, there were no basis for the arrest, apart from the
fact that the “Founding Parliament” members and the ruling authorities
have different political views.
“Where were the officers of the National Security Service or the
Special Investigative Committee when Valery Permyakov fled the 102nd
[Russian] military base armed? Why did they allow the massacre to
happen? A number of legal norms have been violated in the investigation
of the Avetisyan family murder. They should go and arrest Valery
Permyakov right this moment if they are so mighty,” the MP said.
War veteran Jirayr Sefilian’s brother, Toros Sefilian, who was also
among those detained on Tuesday morning to be released hours later,
told reporters that they were mainly asked by the investigative body
about the citizen army organized by “Founding Parliament.”
“I explained what the citizen army and its purpose was. There are
young girls and women in that army. Don’t assume, like the Police did,
they are armed only because it’s called an army,” Toros Sefilian said.
According to him, the Police have confiscated all the computers
from their home, as well as the water flask and the dagger used by
Jirayr Sefilian during the Artsakh Liberation War. “Those items were
confiscated in 2008, too, so we are used to it,” Toros Sefilian said.
In an interview with Epress.am, film director Tigran Khzmalyan compared
the arrest of the “Founding Parliament” leaders with that of opposition
activist, political prisoner Shant Harutyunyan and his friends.
“Once again the authorities are preparing for Putin’s visit (Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s possible visit to Armenia on the Armenian
Genocide Remembrance Day, April 24 – Epress.am). Just like the metal
covers of sewer manholes that are welded by the authorities on the
streets where Putin is set to pass, [the oppositionists] pose yet
another problem that needs to be dealt with,” Khzmalyan said.
Video in Armenian only.
From: A. Papazian