Police Prevent Armed Conflict, Arrest 20 Including 'Chagh Rustam'

On May 31, the Criminal Investigation Division of the Yerevan police received operational information indicating that a day earlier, a dispute had occurred between 33-year-old Rustam Stepanyan, a resident of Yerevan, and 41-year-old Vilbert Sosyan, registered in the town of Chambarak. Reliable information suggested that they were to meet in the Arabkir administrative district to clarify matters further.

The police assessed that both might be armed, potentially leading to a violent confrontation.

At 1:30 AM, the officers from the Criminal Investigation Division of Yerevan, alongside those from the Arabkir, Kanaker-Zeytun, Erebuni, and Nor Nork departments, detained Rustam Stepanyan, 48-year-old Grigor Esayan, 28-year-old Edgar Varosyan from Abovyan, 24-year-old Gevorg Avagyan from Avshar village in Ararat Marz, 24-year-old Melik Meloyan, 43-year-old Varuzhan Kalantaryan, 32-year-old Andranik Melkumyan from Chambarak, 24-year-old Emil Zohrapyan, 22-year-old Artyom Melkomyan from Chambarak, 29-year-old Narek Sargsyan, 29-year-old Gagik Apresyan from Chambarak, 29-year-old Vachagan Arakelyan from Abovyan, 31-year-old Henrik Petrosyan from Yerevan, 25-year-old Sergey Grigoryan, 28-year-old Gurgen Kocharyan, 29-year-old Avetik Asatryan, 28-year-old Argishti Sharyan from Yerevan, 42-year-old David Ushakyan, 29-year-old Sergey Vardanyan, and 24-year-old Gor Tukhitaryan from Chambarak.

During a personal search, a Colt pistol loaded with eight bullets was discovered on Andranik Melkumyan, who claimed ownership of the firearm. Necessary operational-search measures are being undertaken to locate Vilbert Sosyan.

The investigative department of the Arabkir police is preparing materials regarding the incident.

According to sources, Rustam Stepanyan is known as 'Chagh Rustam,' who appears to have made a habit of stopping by police stations. He is considered close to Deputy of the National Assembly Hayk Sargsyan from the “My Step” faction, though there are reports suggesting that after the detentions, Sargsyan visited the Arabkir police station and directed threats and insults at the head of the department, the operational deputy head, and other officers, which do not correspond to reality.

Reliable sources have indicated that Sargsyan did visit the police, yet he did not enter the station. Perhaps he feared that if the police detained everyone as per Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement about 'laying them on the asphalt,' and since Rustam is his friend, he would be powerless to interfere with the preparation of the materials, especially given the ongoing pre-election turmoil that might further diminish his already low rating.

He even climbed the overhead crossing in front of the Arabkir police, attempting to see from above how the detained individuals were being transported to the station. However, upon realizing that trees in the police yard blocked his view, he left with his head down.