Armenia's Investigative Committee releases details of criminal case against Tashir Group president

YEREVAN, June 18. /ARKA/. Armenia's Investigative Committee has filed a motion with a local court seeking permission to arrest Tashir Group president Samvel Karapetyan, revealed Kima Avdalyan, press secretary of the Investigative Committee.

According to her, the Department for Combating Crimes Against the State, the Foundations of the Constitutional Order, and Public Safety has initiated criminal proceedings under Part 2 of Article 422 of the Criminal Code in connection with reports that Samvel Karapetyan had publicly called for the seizure of power by means not provided for in the Constitution in an interview with the media.

On June 18, based on the petition, the prosecutor initiated a criminal case, and on the same day, Karapetyan was detained.

“A petition has been filed with the court to apply arrest as a preventive measure against him,” Avdalyan said.

The day before, Samvel Karapetyan visited the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholiocs Karekin II in Echmiadzin in connection with the attacks by the Armenian authorities on the high-ranking clergy and expressed his support to the Patriarch. He stated that the current unacceptable situation would be resolved through the participation of political figures.

“If politicians fail, we will participate in our own way,” Karapetyan said.

Late that evening he was detained by security forces at his mansion in Yerevan and taken to the Investigative Committee. As part of the criminal case, he has been charged with “public calls to seize power,” and the court is currently considering a motion for his arrest.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in this regard that Karapetyan's words were not directed at defending the Church, but against the Republic of Armenia. He promised a harsh response. -0-