No Criminal Cases Filed Against M. Grigoryan, S. Papikyans, E. Aghajanyan, H. Hakobyan, and H. Simidian: Prosecutor's Office

Reports claiming that criminal cases have been initiated against Mher Grigoryan, Suren Papikyan, Edward Aghajanyan, Hrachya Hakobyan, and Hakob Simidian are untrue, stated Arevik Khachatryan, head of the Public Relations Department of the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia, on her Facebook page.

“Today, the former ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Vatican, Mikhail Minasian, addressed a number of individuals, including Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Suren Papikyan, MPs Hakob Simidian and Hrachya Hakobyan, and Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister Edward Aghajanyan, regarding criminal cases in his video message titled 'Requiem 7. Politics'. It is clarified that no criminal cases have been initiated against these individuals, and the information presented does not reflect the reality. We have repeatedly stated that the initiation of criminal cases and criminal proceedings is a legal process based on clearly specified grounds and procedures by law, and cannot be influenced by the wishes or suggestions of any individual,” Khachatryan wrote.

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Suren Papikyan will also file a complaint with Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan for slander by Mikhail Minasian, as noted by the ministry's spokesperson Armine Muradyan on her Facebook page. “In his video message titled 'Requiem 7. Politics', former ambassador Mikhail Minasian mentioned Minister Suren Papikyan, claiming that a criminal case has been initiated against the minister in connection with receiving 450 million drams related to some unknown transaction. I announce that Minister Papikyan will file a complaint for slander against Mikhail Minasian with Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan. At the same time, I find it necessary to inform you that the Prosecutor's Office has denied the existence of criminal cases against the mentioned officials, including Minister Papikyan,” the spokesperson stated.

Former ambassador to the Vatican, Mikhail Minasian, in a video posted on his Facebook page titled 'Requiem 7. Politics', claimed that many around Nikol Pashinyan are being subjected to criminal prosecution, stating that there are numerous criminal cases underway, or materials are being prepared, or facts exist, through which Pashinyan is allegedly blackmailing various representatives of power.