Case Against Khudoyan Launched to Apply Pressure, Says Solovyov

Famous Russian television and radio host Vladimir Solovyov discussed the arrest of Armenian businessman Albert Khudoyan last week in Moscow on the 'Polnyy kontakt' program on the 'Vesti FM' radio station. According to rusarminfo.ru, Solovyov questioned the legality of the circumstances surrounding Khudoyan's case.

Commenting on the relationship between Khudoyan and the individual who filed a lawsuit against him, the host remarked, 'It seems like it is just a matter of business. They are sorting out some issues between themselves. As often happens, the relations between partners have reached a stage where both claim that the other owes them. Unfortunately, that happens. But how would this issue be resolved in a civilized country? The parties would go to court, and then a clear process would begin that anyone could understand. They would settle their accounts. However, in this case, for some unclear reason, one of the parties has been arrested, and why? Are cunning investigators trying to extort money from both sides?' Solovyov posed a question.

According to him, it is evident that the case against Khudoyan was initiated to apply pressure on him and to push him toward 'cooperation.' Solovyov asserted that, in this instance, a 'purely Russian technology' has been put to use, which, in his view, is uncivilized.

'I do not know who is right between the two or who owes whom money, but I do not like the system for resolving this issue. I do not rule out that each of them has a valid point, or that one has offended the other, or that one is trying to 'set up' the other. However, the system for resolving such relations should be constructed without the direct involvement of state coercive mechanisms,' stated Solovyov.

He added that using law enforcement agencies as a tool to settle accounts in business is a sign of an unhealthy system.