Aram Nikolyan Unable to Enter National Library After Burning Azerbaijani Flag, Lawyer Says

Designer Aram Nikolyan is being barred from entering the Public Television Company, where he works. This was stated by lawyer Alexander Kochubaev in an interview with "Factinfo." It is worth recalling that days ago, during the opening of the European Weightlifting Championship held in Armenia, Nikolyan burned the Azerbaijani flag and became a target of the authorities.

There is no information regarding a service investigation or a disciplinary proceeding, nor any order for Nikolyan's dismissal, but according to his lawyer, a situation has arisen in which Nikolyan cannot access the Public TV Company. Police officers are preventing him from entering his workplace on the grounds that police leadership has issued a directive not to allow Nikolyan inside.

Moreover, it turns out that access to other state buildings under state protection has also been restricted for Nikolyan. Specifically, he wanted to enter the public library to borrow a book, but police officers denied him entry, stating that they too have a directive not to allow Nikolyan in, and added that this directive applies to all state facilities with police checkpoints.

“This is extremely concerning. Essentially, our state has reached a point where a person cannot enter a library or their workplace because the police, showing force, do not allow Aram Nikolyan to live freely, since we are not talking about entering some kind of regime-oriented object or structure, but rather a person wishing to access their workplace, a national library, is being denied. In his own state, where the government should guarantee the rights of its citizens, the state is practically doing everything to the contrary, violating those rights. In my firm belief, this is personal persecution,” the lawyer stated, adding that police officers have a directive coming from a very high level.

Commenting on the reports in pro-government media regarding Nikolyan allegedly burning the flag for money, the lawyer noted that they plan to file a demand for a rebuttal with the media outlet, and if the defamatory information is not retracted, they will take the case to court, demanding that “Hraparak” be compelled to retract the statement, noting that Nikolyan will not seek any financial compensation, as the issue is not about obtaining money from “Hraparak.”

“I strongly condemn the actions of “Hraparak.” It is spread that Nikolyan received 18 million drams to burn the Azerbaijani flag on stage, when we understand who owns “Hraparak” and from whom the media outlet’s information comes and at whose directive, and those who gave the directive knew very well that Nikolyan had participated in the tender legally, won it, and merely tailored uniforms for the event. This means that the money pertained to the tender that was planned for state purchases; it was contractual, and those behind “Hraparak,” I firmly believe, knew very well what that money was for, and it was for the expenses of the uniforms for the entire sporting event, not for any payment to Nikolyan to incite a flag burning. It is clear that by disseminating such false news, “Hraparak” aimed to undermine Nikolyan’s increasingly rising profile, which they view as ‘growing threatening’,” said Kochubaev, adding that this has been Nikolyan’s civic stance, devoid of any political affiliation or agenda; this was purely his act of civil disobedience.

The lawyer expressed concern that the acceptance of burning the flag of a hostile state in such a repressive manner raises questions about the kind of country we live in.

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