Ashotyan's Arrest Aims to Divert Public Attention, Says Khachatryan

The arrest of Armenian National Congress Vice-President Armen Ashotyan is politically motivated, aimed at diverting public attention from ongoing processes, said Agnesa Khachatryan, a member of the National Assembly from the Armenia bloc, during a conversation with journalists outside the court on June 16.

"These political persecutions against Mr. Ashotyan have been ongoing for a long time. Ultimately, this government has succeeded in depriving Ashotyan of his freedom—a man who was engaging in significant work for Armenia and Artsakh in international forums. He frequently visited international organizations and regularly worked through previously established connections. One can conclude that this work is unnecessary for this government. In other words, he was a hindrance to the implementation of the program that this government currently follows," Khachatryan stated.

According to Khachatryan, the authorities are preparing for significant upcoming processes. "In these circumstances, it is quite natural that they will be anxious. It is natural that they must do everything to silence and pressure political opponents. They do not even hide that serious processes are expected in the near future," she added. It is worth noting that on June 16, Armen Ashotyan was ordered to be detained for two months.