Athletes Appeal to Chief Prosecutor to Reconsider the Arrest of Smbatyan

A group of renowned athletes has addressed the Chief Prosecutor of Armenia, Anna Vardanyan, requesting the reconsideration of the arrest decision taken against Sergei Smbatyan, the artistic director and chief conductor of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra.

According to Lilith Grigoryan, the press secretary of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, the athletes emphasized their understanding of the significance of the rule of law in any society and underscored the importance of an impartial and fair investigation in this case. However, they expressed their expectation for intervention regarding the change of Smbatyan's arrest as a means of precaution.

The petition was signed by the following athletes:

• Arthur Aleksanyan - Greco-Roman wrestler, Olympic champion, four-time world champion, six-time European champion
• Armen Nazaryan - Greco-Roman wrestler, double Olympic champion, three-time world champion, six-time European champion
• Malikhas Amoyan - Greco-Roman wrestler, world champion, double European champion
• Roman Amoyan - Greco-Roman wrestler, Olympic bronze medalist, world silver medalist, double European champion
• Karen Mnatsakanyan - Greco-Roman wrestler, world silver medalist, double European champion
• Vaghinak Galustyan - Greco-Roman wrestler, world champion
• Georgy Garibyan - Greco-Roman wrestler, European champion
• Arsen Harutyunyan - freestyle wrestler, double world bronze medalist, three-time European champion
• Vic Darchinyan - professional boxer, nine-time world champion
• Arthur Abraham - professional boxer, multi-time world champion
• Tigran Petrosyan - grandmaster, double winner of the chess world olympiads
• Yeghishe Melikyan - head coach of FC Pyunik.

Earlier, a similar petition was submitted to Chief Prosecutor Anna Vardanyan by a group of intellectuals.

It is recalled that on July 30, it became known that former ambassador Armen Smbatyan and his son, conductor Sergei Smbatyan, had been arrested. Armen Smbatyan has been charged under the first part of the third section of Article 38-178 of the RA Criminal Code (organizing fraud in particularly large amounts), while Sergei Smbatyan and businessman A.P. have been charged under the first part of the third section of Article 178 (fraud in particularly large amounts).