Driver Who Deliberately Hit Activist Identified and Released, Lawyer Says

On May 18, a driver who deliberately hit one of the participants in a peaceful protest on Komitas Avenue has been identified and subsequently released. According to lawyer Raffi Aslanyan, the driver's actions were not classified as attempted murder, highlighting the issue of double standards within the law enforcement system.

Aslanyan stated on his Facebook page: "This is yet another example of double standards in the law enforcement system with a political context. The driver who deliberately hit a protest participant on May 18 was identified and released, and naturally, his actions were not qualified as attempted murder. In contrast, my client, a young man who actively participated in the last war and has a young child, has been in detention for over a year, accused of attempted murder because, according to the allegations, just minutes after a physical altercation, he hit his assailant with a car, knocked him to the ground, drove over his foot, and fled the scene. Moreover, the victim did not suffer any serious bodily injury; as per video footage, he immediately got up and ran after the departing vehicle, and there isn't even a scratch on the vehicle... Perhaps this difference in treatment is due to my client's participation in the battles for the defense of the homeland?"