Գլխավոր Թոփ լուրեր Լրահոս Վիդեո Թրենդ

Learn to save. World Savings Day with Idram Junior Another solar power plant by Ucom and SunChild NGO installed in Vardenis Converse Bank and Kapitalbank signed a cooperation agreement at Sibos 2024 IDBank and Idram at Mantashyants Global Expo AraratBank Introduces UBPAY: A New System for International Transfers IDBank participated in the HR Expo-24 conference Armenia Hosted the Consulting Event of the Year: International CMC Conference was held with Participants from 30 Countries AraratBank Sponsors New Laboratory and Seminar at MatenadaranUcom, in cooperation with SunChild NGO, increases the access to drinking water in Lchavan community Ameriabank’s New Offer: Draw of Investment Portfolios for AMD 2M The International CMC Conference kicked off for the first time in Armenia, bringing together management consultants and the business community General Director of Ucom Participated in the Annual Conference of the Institute of Internal Auditors Armenia AraratBank Expands International Transfer Options with Golden Money System Ucom Completes Network Modernization in Gyumri and Vanadzor Ameriabank’s Special Offer for New Mastercard Holders. 1% Cashback and Lots of GiftsGeneral Director of Ucom Delivers a Lecture at Leadership School Idram Junior and Koreez Summarize the Results of the Junius Financial Education CompetitionUcom has published the 2023 financial audit report The Armenian Conference Interpreters Association Celebrates the International Translation Day Idram Announces the Launch of a Unified QR Infrastructure – Idram for AllAraratBank and SIA: Ongoing Partnership for Social Entrepreneurship Ucom and SunChild NGO have installed a following solar power plant in Chakaten settlement Ucom and Impact Hub Yerevan Launch the Ucom Fellowship Incubation Program Armenia hosts the most prestigious International CMC Conference and the "Constantinus" Award Ceremony Nokia and Team Telecom Armenia bring 25G PON commercial services to customers across Armenia Ucom and SunChild NGO Bring Renewable Energy to Syunik's Borderline Regions Junius: A Financial Literacy Game in the Idram Junior App Around 100,000 households are making use of Team's Internet; 2nd quarter indicators Ucom Successfully Concludes uGeneration Summer Internship Program Converse Bank has joined the UN Global Compact Initiative Ucom Launches Special Promotion for Students Ahead of Academic Year Ucom General Director Ralph Yirikian Becomes First Guest Speaker at "Skills Lab" Ucom, in Cooperation with SunChild NGO, Installs Solar Panels in Tsaghkavan AraratBank once again completes the bond placement ahead of schedule EIB Global signs first direct loan agreement with an Armenian commercial bank Ucom Launches New Phase of Network Modernization in Armenia’s Regions Free statements and references from IDBankUcom and Sunchild Launch New Phase of Joint Environmental Project Ameriabank Receives 3 Awards for Excellence by Euromoney: the Best Bank, the Best Digital Bank, and the Best Bank for SMEs in Armenia for 2024 Unibank and Visa are gifting a trip to Tunisia for two How to cut costs? 5 tips from IDBank and Idram The Renovated Ucom Sales and Service Center Opened at Komitas 60 Choosing the seats: new feature in Idram&IDBank app"Past" (Fact in Armenian) Armenians bought real estate in Dubai worth about $60 million in two days Ucom and Impact Hub Yerevan jointly announces the launch of the Ucom Fellowship Incubation Program EBRD and Ameriabank to support Armenian businesses through stable trade finance fundingIDBank continues the "By Your Side" Program Unibank placed bonds ahead of schedule Ucom’s fixed network has reached Byureghavan How is the largest solar power plant in Armenia built?
Politics

The political persecution of Avetik Chalabyan should be stopped: public and political figures comment on the illegalities in the Chalabyan case

Avetik Chalabyan, a member of the "Unification" movement, activist and politician has been under custody for two months already. The politically motivated prosecution, the practice of custody as a preventive measure towards Chalabyan raised concerns among vade range of public groups. According to the reports, Avetik Chalabyan's detention is in the center of attention of international human rights organizations and the press, in the context of the decline of democracy in Armenia, as a case of silencing the opposition leaders through the use of fraud and deprivation of liberty. 

Taking into account the public importance of the Chalabyan case and the accountability of the process, we present the reaction of the public figures of the last few days regarding the Chalabyan case.

"Nikol has something to report to Aliyev today. Avetik Chalabyan will remain in custody. There is one reason why he remains in prison: in Artsakh, he was very active in the field of defense and was one of the thorn in the side of the enemy... and the prosecutors, investigators, judges will one day try to justify themselves, but there will be no one to listen to them, they will have seconds to think silently before the wall of dishonor. it will be late... and the story of the president of the CP student council is separate..." said RA Member of Parliament Gegham Manukyan.

"Two days ago, the investigative committee announced that the preliminary investigation of Avetik Chalabyan's case has been completed. Today, the prosecutor returned Avetik Chalabyan's case materials to the preliminary investigation body and a new motion was submitted to extend the detention. The goal is to keep him in custody as long as possible. (Let me also remind you that from July 1st, the act he was accused of should have been decriminalized and Avetik should have been released from custody, but they made a subtle change to keep that article). I had a chance to say it, I'll repeat it again: the purpose of this circus is to keep any figure away from entering politics. This is a demonstrative punishment for all those who might think of entering politics and threatening Nikol's power, even if only theoretically," said Karen Vrtanesyan, director of the "Razminfo" specialized website.

"I have always said that Nikol Pashinyan's key enemy is the brains and willpower. Avetik Chalabyan is one of those people with a brilliant mind and strong will, therefore he is one of the main targets of Nikol Pashinyan. If Nikol Pashinyan decides so, they will organize a trial in three seconds, and they will change the Criminal Code of RA in order to sentence Avetik Chalabyan to life imprisonment. Avetik Chalabyan is a political prisoner, and I'm surprised by the silence of the international community, which seeing Armenia's decline into a total dictatorship, continues not only to keep silent but also applauds Pashinyan", a former deputy of the National Assembly of RA, activist and politician Naira Zohrabyan.

"The authorities understand very well that, in any case, the possible leaders of the movement should be constrained, isolated, unable to realize their goals. It is in that context that the case and the case of the promise. It is obvious that there could not be a criminal prosecution against him, but it is not enough that the prosecution was carried out, they are constantly changing things. As you know, the article with which he was charged and was the basis for detention was not supposed to work under the new Criminal Code from July 1. But they hastily got together and passed a law to keep Chalabyan in custody," said Zaruhi Postanjyan, a former member of the National Assembly of RA.

"It was not at all necessary that Chalabyan be detained as a preventive measure during the preliminary investigation. Avetik Chalabyan could have been free, if a preliminary investigation had been carried out, a different regime would have been applied. Let's say, not leaving by signature as a deterrent, because with his behavior, he never gave any law enforcement agency, including the investigator, a reason to think that being a liberty, he could hinder the course of the preliminary investigation, influence the behavior of other subjects undergoing preliminary investigation, etc. Such a thing did not happen, there is no such evidence that his being in liberty would be any risky for the investigation," said Edgar Ghazaryan, former head of the staff of the Constitutional court of RA, ambassador, politician.

"For me, it is the biggest mystery for the modern period of Armenian politics. Why is Avetik Chalabyan kept in custody? I'm also interested in that question, because I don't see any logic for that. I can assume that someone has personal problems with him, that’s why. I can assume various things, but all that does not fit into the logic of what is happening in Armenia now," said Karen Kocharyan, a political technologist.

Earlier, former RA Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan announced that Avetik Chalabyan should be released immediately. "The criminal prosecution and detention of Avetik Chalabyan took place on the basis of an obviously provocative recording, the evidentiary significance and admissibility of which give rise to strong doubts. Moreover, he was detained for two months for the act provided for by the article of the Criminal Code, which in 2022 will no longer be punishable under the Criminal Code, which will come into force on July 1. Therefore, Avetik Chalabyan should be released immediately," he said.

Human rights activist Avetik Ishkhanyan reportedly said that Chalabyan's case reminds him of 1937. "That person specially recorded the conversation and was sure that a criminal case was initiated against Chalabyan on the instructions of the authorities. What right does he have to record the private conversation? Perjury is encouraged by the authorities. Remember the case of opposition MP Armen Charchyan," said Avetik Ishkhanyan.

The HRD Office of the RA, led by Kristinne Grigoryan, also requested clarifications from the Prosecutor's Office regarding the case of Avetik Chalabyan. The case of Avetik Chalabyan was also addressed by the editor-in-chief of "Aravot" daily Aram Abrahamyan in the article "Then they came after me...".

Let's remind that he is charged with the act provided for by Part 2 of the RA Criminal Code, which came into force on July 1 (coercion to participate in meetings). "I was arrested in a fictitious criminal case, in which there is no real crime and whose only real purpose is to put undisguised political pressure on me and my friends. Everyone who knows me knows very well that I have not committed any illegal act or even any action that could be against our value system. Any political pressure, any criminal case based on obvious machinations cannot divert me from the struggle for our country and statehood," Avetik Chalabyan said in his statement from the prison.

Public groups and activists have been fighting for the freedom of Avetik Chalabyan for months for now, calling for the release of Avetik Chalabyan through mass protests, petitions and all means prescribed by law. Five members of the RA National Assembly, "Arar Foundation" and former RA Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Vache Gabrielyan submitted letters of recommendation for the change of his restraining order. More than 5000 citizens signed a petition, among which number of public figures, scientists, chairperson and the members of the Parliament of Artsakh, the president, the spiritual leader of the Diocese of Artsakh, calling for the release of Avetik Chalabyan.