Chobanyan, Chakhalyan, and Akhoyan Invited to Investigative Committee Today, Zakaryan Confirmed for Tomorrow

Today, information was released regarding a group of political and public figures being invited to the Investigative Committee, including Aragats Akhoyan, Arshak Zakaryan, Tigran Chobanyan, Israel Hakobkoyan, and Vahagn Chakhalyan. They are implicated in a criminal case initiated regarding a protest held on January 28, which was initially filed under the charge of seizing state buildings.

In a conversation with PressTime.am, one of the individuals, Arshak Zakaryan, confirmed that he received an invitation from the Investigative Committee, stating: "I have an appointment for tomorrow. I do not have specific information yet on why I have been summoned; I will find out everything on the spot."

Regarding reports that the investigative body intends to change the criminal charge and present new accusations under the article of "usurpation of power," Zakaryan mentioned that he has heard such claims but nothing has been confirmed yet: "Everything is expected, I am ready for anything. We will know more later since Chobanyan, Chakhalyan, and Akhoyan are inside; they were invited to the Investigative Committee today."

When asked whether he considers this to be political persecution or merely a legal process, Zakaryan stated that all of this has been political persecution from the beginning: "We are not alone. In Armenia, anyone who has conducted any protest action somehow related to their metastases faces political persecution. They have arrested city mayors and kept them in custody; isn’t that political persecution too? It is the same thing, what’s the difference? Those they see as having real potential for resistance are subjected to political persecution to intimidate others."

According to Zakaryan, they have legal defenders, and justice will prevail sooner or later: "This is the floundering of a regime in a formal spiritual crisis. They are capable of anything. I am a victim of a monstrous regime’s repressions, and beyond that, I have nothing more to say. All their actions are clear to me."