Zaruhi Postanjyan demands explanations from heads of Investigative Committee and Special Investigative Service of Armenia over hindrance to her legal activity

Zaruhi Postanjyan, Armenian lawmaker from opposition Heritage Party, has addressed a statement to the heads of the Investigative Committee Aghvan Hovsepyan and Special Investigative Service Vahram Shahinyan over hindrance to her legal activity.   

Postanjyan says that without any grounds she is prevented from seeing the arrestees Armen Martirosyan, David Sanasaryan, Hovsep Khurshudyan, as well as Andreas Ghukasyan, Zhirayr Sefilyan and other members of the Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sassoon) group.   

She stresses that as a member of the legislative body of Armenia, she can visit detention facilities without any special permit. She notes that she has learnt from the media reports that NKR lawmaker Vitaly Balasanyan and composer, Honored Artist Tigran Mansuryan were given the opportunity to meet with the specified persons. 
"That being said, I ask you to give me explanations. If it is not discrimination, then why did those persons receive an opportunity to visit the arrestees? Please take measures to settle down this situation," she says in her statement.  

Earlier it was reported that Armenian oppositionist MP Nikol Pashinyan has appealed to the Special Investigation Service over what he called a crime committed by Georgy Kutoyan, the chief of the National Security Service. In his open appeal to Vahram Shahinyan, the chief of the Special Investigative Service of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan says that on July 28 2016, he visited the National Security Service (NSS), showed his ID of a parliament member and expressed an intention to visit the detention facility of the NSS in line with Article 48 that authorizes a parliamentarian to visit the detention facility without any restrictions. Nevertheless, Pashinyan writes, he was not allowed to visit the detention facility by the order of Georgy Kutoyan. According to Pashinyan, such obstruction from the professional activity is a crime.  He blames the head of the NSS for committing a crime stipulated by Article 309 (Exceeding official authorities) and demands the Special Investigation Service to bring him accountable. Earlier, Pashinyan left as post on Facebook social media saying he was not allowed to visit detainees at the detention facility of the National Security Service by the order of NSS chief Georgy Kutoyan.