Opposition MPs Summoned for Questioning: Why? "Zhoghovurd"

According to "Zhoghovurd" newspaper, opposition members of the National Assembly are being summoned for questioning by the Special Investigative Service of the Republic of Armenia. The inquiries are related to incidents of violence recorded during protests of the "Resistance" movement that began in May 2022. A criminal case has been opened under Article 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which pertains to the abuse of official powers through the use of violence.

The newspaper has learned that among those summoned are members of the "Armenia" parliamentary faction, including Tadevos Avetisyan, Artsvik Minasyan, Gegham Manukyan, and others.

In relation to this issue, "Zhoghovurd" contacted Gegham Manukyan, who confirmed the information and added that the incident occurred near the government’s third building on May 30. “This concerns unprecedented police violence, as a result of which, in June, the Investigative Committee summoned me for questioning or an explanation, where I detailed what had happened. Unfortunately, the Investigative Committee, hastening to fulfill Nikol’s orders, quickly initiates criminal cases, but in this instance, it is displaying criminal sluggishness,” he summarized.

“During the first explanation, I provided the Investigative Committee with videos showing the wild behavior of Nikol’s witnesses in red berets, but no legal process has taken place since then. Other colleagues have also been summoned. The Investigative Committee is currently showing little urgency in this regard, although Arghishti Kyaramyan is busy with other matters that he deems important,” he concluded.

It should also be noted that since many of the criminal cases regarding crimes committed during the opposition's actions were initiated based on the letters of the non-partisan chair of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs, Taguhi Tovmasyan, she has also been summoned for questioning, although this questioning has not yet taken place.