Belgian parliament raises issue of legal aspects of Avetik  Chalabyan`s arrest

ArmInfo. Ellen Samyn, a member of the House of Representatives of the Belgian Federal Parliament, raised the issue of the legal aspects of the arrest of Avetik  Chalabyan, coordinator of the "Hayakve" movement, in Armenia.

In her address to Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevost, she asked  him whether he was following Avetik Chalabyan's case through the  Belgian diplomatic mission or through European institutions in the  country; and whether he had addressed the protection of political  freedoms, the rights of opposition figures, and the independence of  the judiciary during recent bilateral contacts with Armenia. The MP  then asked Prevost how the European Union would reconcile its growing  cooperation with Armenia with the concerns expressed by various  international organizations regarding the treatment of opponents and  critical voices.  She also asked whether he would advocate for  further emphasis on fundamental freedoms, political pluralism, and  judicial independence in Armenia within the EU.

Samin also stated that the exact reasons for Chalabyan's arrest  remain unknown, raising many questions.  It should be noted that  Chalabyan's lawyer, Varazdat Harutyanyan, previously reported on June  24 that the court had ordered Avetik Chalabyan's detention for two  months. He will be held in the Armavir penitentiary institution, with  visits closed to all but lawyers. According to the Investigative  Committee, in May 2026, Chalabyan traveled to and met with officials  of another state, during which, through persuasion, as well as  through his interest in ensuring the victory of their preferred  political force, he persuaded them to use their official powers,  authority, and the influence they owed to them, to obstruct the free  exercise of the electoral rights of citizens of the Republic of  Armenia who had the right to vote in the parliamentary elections held  in the Republic of Armenia on June 7, 2026.