I Do Not Comment on Law Enforcement Actions: Khudatyan on the Hovhannavank Incident

The actions of the law enforcement agencies conducting preservation are not subject to my comment. This was stated today by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan in a conversation with journalists at the National Assembly, referring to the incident on Sunday, where a citizen was forcibly removed with their mouth closed from Hovhannavank.

In contrast to some of his colleagues, the minister noted that he had seen the published footage. "I was not at Hovhannavank that day; I was participating in Argishti Mekhakyan's campaign in Vagharshapat," Khudatyan added.

It is noteworthy that several officials from the Civil Contract party previously stated that they had not seen the video of the incident, where a citizen's mouth was closed as he declared that Stepan Asatryan had been declared defrocked and had no right to perform mass. Similar statements were made by Justice Minister Surbuhi Galyan, National Assembly member Vladimir Vardanyan of the Civil Contract party, and Suren Tovmasyan, head of the Cadastre Committee.