Video: Why Armed Police Searched Vitaly Balasanyan's Car – Police Clarification

The head of the Police Information Department, Ashot Aharonyan, announced that the search process had no connection to the Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Artsakh, Vitaly Balasanyan.

“Today, the police inspected a vehicle while verifying information regarding illegal weapons and ammunition. The Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Artsakh, Vitaly Balasanyan, was in the vehicle. The police officially informs that this process was originally not related to the Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh and that there are no issues connected to his person,” Aharonyan wrote on his Facebook page.

It is noteworthy that Vitaly Balasanyan, the Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh, continues to stay in the Avan administrative district of Yerevan.

Armed police stopped his vehicle, demanding to conduct a search since they had operational information suggesting that illegal weapons were inside the vehicle.

In a conversation with journalists, Vitaly Balasanyan stated that he was traveling with a friend and that the vehicle is not his.

“I arrived in Yerevan yesterday afternoon to participate in my friend’s father’s 90th birthday,” said Balasanyan.

He emphasized that during this time, he has not met, called, or had any connection with the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan.

Balasanyan refused to allow a search of his vehicle, stating there was no appropriate documentation.

“I will abide by the letter of the law; let them bring a court document, and I will allow them to conduct a search,” Balasanyan added.

Video available on Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan's Facebook page.