Human Rights Activist: A regime worse than those of Gaddafi and  Saddam  established in Armenia

ArmInfo.  Within just one week, a second lawyer, Ruben Mkhitaryan, was arrested for apparent political reasons and clearly without cause, as noted by  human rights activist Ruben Melikyan on his Facebook page.

According to him, the events  on October 20 at Vardanants Square in  Gyumri were completely filmed on video, and not only is there not a  single frame confirming the alleged "crime" committed by the lawyers,  but  there are numerous frames denying and ruling it out. 

"But, nonetheless, Ruben was arrested. Why? It's very simple. To  'scare' our human rights defenders and lawyers and compel them to  either stop their human rights activities or at least reduce their  intensity.  Additionally, the purpose of this move is to intimidate  citizens with opposition views and force them to stay away from  opposition political forces. The authorities are also attempting to  frighten believers and clergy, forcing them to abandon the defense of  the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. What should we do? They are not  afraid. Let's accept the simple reality: a regime worse than those of  Gaddafi and Saddam has been established in our country. Let us  strengthen in our hearts the conviction that it is the moral duty of  any ethical individual to oppose this regime, despite the enormous  risk of persecution. Let us consider it an honor to be persecuted by  the regime," Ruben Melikyan emphasized. 

In his postscript, he added that the number of political prisoners in  Armenia had doubled or tripled in two days. "But the 'priests of  democracy,' of course, won't react, won't condemn, won't reprimand.  We shouldn't expect this. And we must document and present this, so  that later they don't say, 'What happened in Armenia? Wow! Why didn't  you tell us earlier?'" the human rights activist concluded.