Blogger Artak Avetisyan arrested

ArmInfo.  Blogger Artak Avetisyan, who called Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan a traitor on live television, has been arrested for a month by a court decision. This was announced by his lawyer, Ruben Melikyan.

The lawyer posted a video. Three hours after its publication,  Avetisyan was detained by law enforcement, and 55 hours later, he was  arrested. "Please take a moment to watch the video and evaluate  whether you see 'hate speech' in it, especially in comparison to the  appalling public statements by the leadership of the ruling Civil  Contract party. Is this 'hate speech' or acceptable criticism? If you  agree with me and believe that this speech doesn't even come close to  the red line of 'hate speech,' then I urge you to make a  corresponding statement," Melikyan wrote on his Facebook page.

The blogger was arrested on May 12 after criticizing Pashinyan's  policies and calling him a traitor.  Investigators charge Avetisyan  with public statements aimed at inciting or spreading hatred,  discrimination, intolerance, or hostility, as well as disseminating  materials or objects for this purpose using publicly displayed works,  media, or information and communications technology. This article  carries a prison sentence of 3 to 6 years. It is noteworthy that  weeks earlier this blogger published footage of discarded  humanitarian aid, apparently sent to the Armenian army during the  44-day war in 2020 around Artsakh.