Human rights activist: Simultaneous searches at 60 addresses associated with Strong Armenia should be viewed in the context of criminal intent

ArmInfo. The simultaneous searches of 60 addresses associated with the Strong Armenia party should be viewed in the context of criminal intent—the implementation of the "Aliyev Constitution" by suppressing the opposition. Human rights activist Ruben Melikyan wrote about this.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that the regime is subtly hinting at the number of articles in Aliyev's constitution by mentioning 60 addresses. Considering the composition of the authors, they would hardly have been able to write 60 articles," the human rights activist added in his Facebook post, referring to the searches of Samvel Karapetyan's home and 65 addresses associated with his family.

As a reminder, the press secretary of the Strong Armenia party Aghavni Sukiasyan reported that investigators from the Investigative Committee of Armenia have been conducting searches since early morning at the homes of Strong Armenia bloc leader Samvel Karapetyan and Strong Armenia parliamentary faction leader Narek Karapetyan. She noted that searches are also being conducted at other addresses associated with Karapetyan's family. Later, Investigative Committee spokesperson Kima Avdalyan reported that searches are being conducted simultaneously at 65 addresses. Following the searches, NSS officers detained Samvel Karapetyan and escorted him out the back door of his home. The Investigative Committee of Armenia subsequently announced that Samvel Karapetyan is accused of embezzling loan funds received for the needs of Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) CJSC. Thirty-five more people were detained along with him.

It should be added that Pashinyan previously stated that if the parliamentary opposition resists the adoption of the new Constitution, the ruling majority will begin to generate public pressure. He also noted that "the authorities can formulate a proposal for the parliamentary opposition regarding the new Constitution that they will be unable to refuse."