2024-04-19 00:59:04
Three masked civilians beat Armenian opposition activist Samvel Vardanyan on the way from the Investigative Committee building to a temporary detention center after he was detained for a brawl with one of the deputies of the ruling Civil Contract party.
As Day.Az reports with reference to the Armenian media, his lawyer Ruben Melikyan told reporters about this.
On Monday, a video appeared in the Armenian segment of social networks where Vardanyan, on public transport, accuses deputy from the Civil Contract party Hakob Aslanyan of “betrayal.” After this, a scuffle broke out between him and the deputy, and in the evening Vardanyan was arrested.
“On the way from the Investigative Committee to the detention center, the police who escorted him stop the car and get out supposedly to relieve themselves. After this, three masked civilians open the car door, pull him out of the car, beat him, humiliate him, insult his personality and dignity, then bring him in, they put him in the car and drive away. The guards appear a few minutes later and allegedly wonder what happened. Such treatment of a detainee under state custody is an unprecedented crime,” his lawyer noted.
Melikyan also stated that the defense considers the incident to be a political order from the party of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, whose representatives threatened Vardanyan on social networks.