Failed to Remove Mandate, Legal Proceedings Initiated Against Zarouhi Postanjian, Summoned by Investigative Committee

According to the 'Zhoghovurd' daily, Zarouhi Postanjian, a member of the Yerevan City Council from the 'Mother Armenia' faction, has been charged for statements made against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. ArmLur reported that Postanjian was summoned by the Investigative Committee yesterday.

The issue stems from a press conference held on February 8, 2021, at the 'Hayeli' media club, where Zarouhi Postanjian alleged that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his wife dreamt of ceding territories, claiming that they wrote about this back in 2008, collected money to execute the deal.

In light of these allegations, she was summoned to provide explanations and file a report of the crime to the Special Investigative Service. The court ruled that Postanjian must make a denial of her statement. 'Zhoghovurd' learned that Postanjian has been charged under Article 507 of the Criminal Code for failing to comply with a legally binding court ruling or obstructing its execution. As a measure of restraint, it has been chosen for her to sign that she will not leave the country.

In a conversation with 'Zhoghovurd', Zarouhi Postanjian stated that she intends to appeal the charges against her, as the court has made a demand that is impossible to fulfill: 'The court has required me to make a denial in a publication with a print run of 5000 copies, but there is no such newspaper in Armenia. I have asked how I can comply with this demand.'

It seems that the ruling party failed to deprive the opposition council member of her mandate, and now they are attempting to initiate legal processes against her. It is also noteworthy that the law enforcement system is showing a biased approach once again; for instance, when Lena Nazaryan from the ruling party refuses to comply with a court ruling and apologize to MP Taguhi Tovmasyan for insulting her, the ruling party member is not punished for disregarding the court's decision, while in the case of opposition members, law enforcement immediately applies sanctions.