Member of Daredevils of Sasoun Varuzhan Avetisyan arrested

Court has adopted a decision to arrest Varuzhan Avetisyan, a member of Daredevils of Sasoun group that seized a police compound earlier this month demanding among others resignation of Armenia's president. 

Lusine Hakobyan, a representative of the lawyers' group set up in support of Daredevils of Sasoun says the Court sitting continued throughout the night and the decision was made very hastily, though there was enough to for the 72 hours (provided to bring charges against a detainee - editor's note) to expire. The lawyer says her client disclaims the charges brought against him. The Court chose a two-month arrest as a measure of restraint against some other members of the group too: Areg and Sergey Kyureghyans, Aram Hakobyan, Araik Khandoyan, Vardan Geravetyan and Smbat Barseghyan. 

Charges based on the following articles of the Criminal Code of Armenia have been brought against the group members: Article 218.1.3 (hostage taking) and Article 235.3 (illegal arms traffic).

To recall, under the criminal case initiated in the Investigative Department of National Security Service of Armenia related to military seizure of Police Patrol Service Regiment building by Daredevils of Sasoun group on July 17, 2016 47 people have been detained or arrested. 24 of them are charged with hostage taking. Most of the detainees disclaim the charges brought against them.  At present, most of the group members are in detention facilities, while some are in the hospital of prisoners and one is in the intensive care unit in an ordinary hospital.  Several of then have been arrested.