19 June 2020, 23:48
In Armenia, Gagik Tsarukyan's supporters treat his case as political persecution
In Yerevan, the court began consideration of a case on arrest of Gagik Tsarukyan. Supporters of the leader of the "Prosperous Armenia" Party called on the Armenian authorities to stop persecuting their opponents and claimed that the case against Gagik Tsarukyan was politically motivated.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 14, law enforcers conducted searches at a house of Gagik Tsarukyan and in offices of the "Prosperous Armenia" Party. Supporters of the politician went to a protest rally, and 250 people were detained. After the detentions, human rights defenders sided with the police.
The persecution of Gagik Tsarukyan may be associated with the possible consolidation of the opposition around him, suggest political analyst Armen Vardanyan and Boris Navasardyan, the head of the Yerevan Press Club.
Advocate Yerem Sargsyan believes that the investigation into the case against Gagik Tsarukyan is being conducted with violations.
The "Prosperous Armenia" Party will continue its activities even if Gagik Tsarukyan is arrested, MP Iveta Tonoyan has announced as quoted by Radio Liberty.
The case against Gagik Tsarukyan is clearly of political nature, and the authorities try to force the opposition to keep silence, suggests Arthur Vanetsyan, the leader of the "Motherland" Party, as quoted by the "Sputnik Armenia".
Oppositionists of Armenia, including members of the "Motherland", "ARF Dashnaktsutyun", and "United Armenia" Parties called on the authorities to "stop the repressions."
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 19, 2020 at 10:54 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Armine Martirosyan Source: CK correspondent
