Why Former Syunik Governor Vahe Hakobyan Has Not Been Summoned for Interrogation: Lawyer

Former Syunik Governor Vahe Hakobyan's lawyer, Erik Alexandryan, writes: "The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia has issued a statement regarding the fact that former Syunik Governor V. Hakobyan, his two assistants, and his driver did not attend work during the period of 2017-2018, yet received salaries. The statement also mentions that a criminal case has been initiated at the Syunik Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee under Article 179 (embezzlement or waste) part 2, point 1, and Article 314 (official forgery) part 1 of the RA Criminal Code. If the criminal case was initiated concerning alleged misconduct by Vahe Hakobyan (and the statement of the Investigative Committee implies this) rather than by others, it should be noted that the following phrase in the Committee's statement: ‘V. Hakobyan, his two assistants, and his driver did not attend work during the period of 2017-2018, yet received salaries’ already violates Mr. Hakobyan's presumption of innocence. Furthermore, according to that statement, inspections were conducted in 2019, implying that a criminal case was initiated on this matter at that time as well. Therefore, a logical question arises: why was Vahe Hakobyan not summoned for interrogation during that period, and this only occurs when he makes relevant political statements? This is precisely why we consider this to be political persecution."