Mother of Fallen Soldier, Gayane Hakobyan, Ends Hunger Strike, Sends Message from Prison

The mother of fallen soldier Zhora Martirosyan, Gayane Hakobyan, has ended her hunger strike. This information was shared by human rights defender Ruben Melikyan, who posted the mother's message from the 'Abovyan' penitentiary on his Facebook page.

Gayane Hakobyan is accused of attempting to kidnap the son of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Ashot Pashinyan. Based on Judge Zhora Chichoyan's ruling, she was detained for one month today.

“I consider further continuation of the hunger strike pointless, as it has become obvious to me that all decisions regarding me are made not in courtrooms, but in Nikol's offices. Those decisions are based not on legal grounds, but on revenge and an inhumane intention to deepen my endless pain and cause me new sufferings,” Gayane Hakobyan stated in her message.

She also requested that people take to the streets and not leave her peers, the parents of fallen heroes, alone. “I also request not to leave Zhora’s family alone and to visit his holy grave at Yerablur in my place,” concluded the woman currently in detention.

It is noteworthy that the newspaper 'Haykakan Zhamanak,' associated with the Prime Minister's family, reported on May 17 that members of the NGO “Call of Sons” had allegedly attempted to kidnap the Prime Minister's son. According to the paper, parents of fallen soldiers forced Ashot Pashinyan to get into their car, but he managed to escape from the vehicle momentarily stopped.

Later, it became known that Ashot Pashinyan's report to the Armenian Police was transferred to the Investigative Committee, leading to the initiation of a criminal case on kidnapping charges, and one person, Gayane Hakobyan, was arrested.

On May 18, a confrontation took place between Ashot Pashinyan and Gayane Hakobyan at the Investigative Department of the Shengavit Administrative District in Yerevan. On the same day, it was revealed that the mother of the fallen soldier had declared a hunger strike.