Who remembers spy charges against Artur Baghdasaryan?
Armenia's former human rights defender Larisa Alaverdyan says the authorities are applying for political vengeance the simplest methods meant for ignorant and uninformed layers of the society.
She expressed the opinion at the Hayeli (Mirror) club in Yerevan while commenting on the National Assembly's decision to strip lawmaker Vartan Oskanian of his immunity.
Larisa Alaverdyan reminded that similar methods were applied in the past as well. Relying on ‘political expediency,' similar cases have been brought against [former Foreign Minister] Alexander Arzumanyan, [former Chairman of the National Assembly] Artur Baghdasaryan and [former Mayor of Yerevan City] Gagik Beglaryan.
"How can a person be convicted of a grave crime and then be appointed to a top position in the national security system," she said meaning Artur Baghdasaryan, Leader of the Rule of Law Party (OEK) , who in 2007, during the presidency of Robert Kocahryan, was publicly accused of espionage in favor of Great Britain.
"Under similar dubious circumstances, Gagik Beglaryan was appointed Minister of Transport and Communication two years after tendering his resignation as Yerevan Mayor. His new position is also linked to financial management," she said.
Human rights activist Avetik Ishkhanyan sees political motives behind Oskanian's case and says the prosecutor general acted under the instructions of his superiors.
I regret to say that we do not have independent judiciary and independent institutions," he said.
"Had the Prosperous Armenia Party announced its decision to support Serzh Sarghsyan during the 2013 presidential elections, no charges would have been brought against Oskanian," the human rights defender said adding that case can be frozen if the party decides to make the long-awaited statement tomorrow.
