What Happened is a Political Persecution: Kajaran Mayor Manvel Paramazyan

Kajaran Mayor Manvel Paramazyan has issued a statement, in which he says: "Dear fellow citizens, esteemed Syunik people, as the legitimately elected leader of the Kajaran community, I consider it my moral duty and authority to address you. First, you all have the right to know the details of the infamous recent events from me, and most importantly, I am capable of standing up for the rights and dignity of both myself and every resident of my community.

As you know, days ago, the police conducted searches in my home and the homes of my relatives, as a result of which, of course, no suspicious items were found. This was followed by the baseless arrests of our fellow citizens, accompanied by the use of violence. What has happened is essentially a political persecution. It is no secret that I have never been involved in political intrigues, nor have I succumbed to the political games unfolding in the country; I have exclusively focused on the development and prosperity of our community, believing that nothing could be more pleasing to God and patriotic than that.

However, as we can see, the fact of my popularity and political neutrality seems to choke some state officials. I call upon the perpetrators of these disgraceful actions to cease illegal pressures against the people of Syunik. No Armenian benefits from destabilizing the situation in Syunik – at the gates of Artsakh – and this is fraught with serious consequences."

It is worth recalling that early in the morning, masked and armed police arrested four individuals from the close circle of the Kajaran mayor, who are now held at the Kapan Police Department.