Armenian prime minister orders ex-NSS chief’s arrest – Hraparak Daily

Panorama, Armenia
June 9 2020

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has reportedly embarked on the efforts to neutralize the Armenian opposition since Monday.

According to a report by Hraparak Daily, the government’s entire resources have now been directed against the opposition forces which are said to be consolidating.

“But the number one target is former Director of the National Security Service (NSS), Chairman of the Homeland Party Artur Vanetsyan, who is seen as a serious threat to him,” the paper writes.

Citing its sources, Hraparak Daily says that newly appointed NSS Director Argishti Kyaramyan has been ordered to "neutralize" Vanetsyan. Nikol Pashinyan has reportedly instructed him to summon Vanetsyan to the National Security Service “under any pretext” and arrest him for two months by using all the “leverages of influence over courts.” Under such a scenario, the former security chief is expected to be released after two months in custody.

“Kyaramyan isn’t a career officer and is virtually not constraint in terms of fulfilling his superior's orders,” the paper says, adding Vanetsyan has today been summoned to the NSS for questioning and is likely to be arrested after it.