Sayat Shirinyan Found: Sputnik

Sayat Shirinyan, a member of the 'Armenia' alliance, is currently at the Martuni division of the Gegharkunik regional police. The information was confirmed to Sputnik Armenia by Shirinyan’s lawyer Benik Galstyan.

“I received a call from the police saying that Sayat Shirinyan is at the Martuni division. I am heading there now; I cannot say anything with certainty until I see him with my own eyes. I have not yet been given the opportunity to speak with him,” said Galstyan.

Earlier today, the lawyer wrote on Facebook that masked individuals had taken Shirinyan from his backyard to an unknown location. The lawyer mentioned that he had been unable to locate his client for over two hours.

In an interview with the news outlet, Benik Galstyan stated that he has absolutely no information regarding why his client was taken, what criminal charges had been brought against him, or why he was taken to Martuni.

It is noteworthy that Shirinyan was charged under the first part of Article 226.2 of the RA Criminal Code (public calls for violence, publicly justifying or promoting violence). The Investigative Committee had released a statement on December 23, 2020, indicating that Shirinyan had made a post on Facebook containing calls for violence directed at user Susanna Avsharyan.

“Susanna Avsharyan, if I were the leader of the movement, rest assured, we would take concrete actions, although I do not criticize the organizers, as they are avoiding bloodshed. But it is already clear that it is impossible without bloodshed,” Shirinyan had written.

A criminal case was initiated regarding the post on December 22, 2020, and Shirinyan was arrested. Last year, on December 25, the court deemed his arrest unlawful.