Patron Davo Demands Retraction from Azatutyun Radio, Threatens Legal Action

David Galstyan, a businessman involved in arms trade known as "Patron Davo," has issued a statement.

"After my illegal detention, some media outlets spread false information claiming that I had been an advisor to the Minister of Defense of Armenia, which was followed by my denial stating that 'I have never been an advisor to any minister, nor have I held any office, either in the Ministry of Defense or in other government agencies.' Seeing that certain individuals benefit from the dissemination of such false information, and being confident that these claims, as well as other data published by the investigative body, will be refuted during the investigation, I urged those spreading such news to refrain from this kind of behavior."

“However, contrary to my previous appeals, Azatutyun Radio deliberately emphasized my supposed role as an advisor to the Minister of Defense during the February 7, 2021 broadcast of 'Sunday Analytical with Tamrazyan,' stating it twice. The guest of the show, who is the chair of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defense and Security, did not deny this false information, despite being well aware of it."

“At this point, without delving into the absurd ideas expressed during that broadcast, I want to make it clear that the individuals and media outlets systematically engaged in discrediting me and creating and disseminating false information are doing so with the conscious intent to harm the high reputation of our armed forces as well. I have demanded a retraction of the false information from Azatutyun Radio, and should they fail to comply, I will restore my violated rights through legal means," the statement reads.

It is worth noting that on February 2, the General Jurisdiction Court of Yerevan, presided over by Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan, accepted the NSS's request to detain David Galstyan, "Patron Davo." According to the NSS, Galstyan embezzled large sums of money from the Ministry of Defense. Galstyan has issued a statement emphasizing that "either the investigative body has not demonstrated adequate professionalism, or it is trying to create the illusion that military forces have been supplied with munitions from the 1970s."