“They said my post incited panic, I should delete it”: Doctor Artavazd Sahakyan

Well-known doctor Artavazd Sahakyan made a post on his Facebook page, effectively supporting the government and urging for strict measures to ensure that people's movements and interactions are minimized, noting that there is still a buzz and activity in the streets of Yerevan. The police requested that the post be removed, which the honored doctor of the Republic of Armenia complied with. Interestingly, his post has been published on numerous websites.

In an interview with Aravot.am, Mr. Sahakyan emphasized that he does not engage in politics, but felt it necessary to state the following: “As a healthcare professional, I have said what the Minister of Health stated after me, that people should minimize interactions and maintain order, so we can get out of this situation. Two young people from the central police came respectfully and said that my article incited panic. I explained that I said the same thing as the government, yet they insisted that I delete it, mentioning possible imprisonment for several years, which I ultimately did.”

“What’s interesting is that this isn’t my first statement. A few days ago, I requested that schools should be closed, and the government acted on it an hour and a half later. Now what I have said has also been echoed by the Minister. I see nothing extraordinary in my post, I am just surprised by the people who sent those young officers. True, they were very respectful to me, but they were following orders,” he added.