" How do you imagine escape from investigation for a man, who repated to Armenia during the war with three sons?" Avetik Chalabyan's speech in the court hearings

Press Announcement

For Immediate Release

11 July, 2022, Yerevan

Avetik Chalabyan, a member of the "Unification" movement, activist and politician, will remain under arrest. On Sunday, On July 10, the Yerevan Court of Common Jurisdiction, headed by Judge Arusyak Aleksanyan, published its decision, which satisfied the appeal for extension of detention submitted by the investigative body implementing the proceedings.

"How can I hinder from the proceedings if you have completed the proceedings? What can I possibly do? If you have completed the proceedings, then you have effectively taken the actions proposed by the prosecutor, there is no logical action that I can hinder. By the way, I have no desire either. The materials of this case are sufficient enough to  eventually lead to my acquittal in any reasonable court. These steps will one by one lead to the conclusion that the that the criminal offense is absent," Avetik Chalabyan said in his closing speech at the open court hearing of the extension of detention dates.

It should be noted that earlier, a hasty motion was submitted to the court to extend the detention of Avetik Chalabyan after the prosecutor in charge of the trial did not confirm the indictment of the case and returned the materials of the proceedings to the preliminary investigation body with an instruction to continue the preliminary investigation.

"How do you imagine yourself the escape from an investigation for a man, who is a member of the board of directors of five companies, a member of the board of trustees of two charitable foundations, a father of a large family, the primary caregiver of four children and two elderly parents? Did you write all this just for the sake of writing? How can I escape? Can I escape from myself? A man who returned to Armenia during the war with three boys. A significant part of the population of our country takes its children out of the country to escape serving in Army. Did I return to Armenia with three boys to escape from Armenia?" said Avetik Chalabyan, adding that this trail would feel ridiculous in any legal practice in any country.

Let's remind that Avetik Chalabyan is accused of the act provided for in Article 163, Part 3, Clause 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia without any credible evidence and with gross violations of criminal procedure procedures. The article has been reclassified and softened by the new Criminal Code that came into force on July 1.

"Avetik Chalabyan is a political hostage of the current authorities, and the courts are their executioners. Yesterday, the investigator confirmed that Avetik Chalabyan should remain in custody only so that he and the prosecutor could send the case to the court in a relaxed manner. He admitted that they have no other investigative actions to perform. So to say, Avetik Chalabyan will remain in custody on the basis of sending the case to court," Varazdat Harutyunyan and Arthur Harutyunyan, Chalabyan's defenders, stated earlier.

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.