Businessman's Claim Disputed by Defence
In a bizarre turn of events, the high-profile Russian businessman and head of the "Tashir" group, Samvel Karapetyan, is under fire from Armenian authorities. His alleged crime? A supposed call for a coup in Armenia, a charge that Karapetyan and his legal team vehemently deny as being laughable and baseless.
Liana Gasparyan, Karapetyan's lawyer, declared to RIA Novosti that there's no charge at all and the whole allegation is just ridiculous. According to Gasparyan, there's no reasonable suspicion or grounds for any legal action against their client.
On June 18, a Yerevan court arrested Karapetyan for two months, a move that Gasparyan described as completely unlawful. The defense team plans to appeal this decision "today or tomorrow."
During the court hearing, an unwavering Karapetyan dismissed the accusations against him, claiming they were groundless. His lawyer, Ruben Akopyan, echoed those sentiments, expressing doubt over the prosecution's case.
Prior to his arrest, reports surfaced that Karapetyan was charged with making public calls for the seizure of state power in Armenia. This came after he defended the Armenian Apostolic Church and lashed out at the government for its stance on the Church.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry had referenced Nikol Pashinyan's call for the surrender of Armenian authorities, reminding us of the political tension that has been brewing in the region.
In a broader context, the arrest of Samvel Karapetyan has aggravated the already tense relationship between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Church and its supporters see Karapetyan's detention as a politically motivated attack and part of the government's continued assault on the Church's independence and influence in Armenia.
High-ranking members of the Russian Orthodox Church and Moscow Patriarchate have spoken out in support of Karapetyan, expressing concern over the suppression of religious freedom and the need for the Church's autonomy to be respected in Armenian society.
As the weeks unfold, the situation remains fluid, with the arrest deepening the political and religious crisis within Armenia, while gaining international attention from religious authorities worldwide.
- The arrest of Samvel Karapetyan, who is under fire from Armenian authorities for allegedly calling for a coup in Armenia, has sparked concerns about the suppression of free speech and politics within the country.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts and general-news in Armenia, such as the arrest of Samvel Karapetyan, have accentuated the already tense relationship between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church, with many seeing it as a politically motivated attack on the Church's independence.
