Yesterday, Vahagn Minasyan, a sit-in participant, had a phone conversation with Mihran Melkonyan, a member of “We pay 100 drams” movement, who was arrested by the police a few days ago. “He feels good; this weekend a delegation from “We pay 100 drams” initiative will visit him as a sign solidarity. We will also try to settle the issue of the lawyer. We will not allow that the number of political prisoners in our country grows”, – said Vahagn Minasyan to Aravot.am.
To recall that, according to the police report, Mihran was under investigation for a few months, and it caused difficulty to the police to find him, because the activist being regularly summoned by police was stating his father’s name wrong. “When he was detained for the first time, I was with him. Mihran introduced his data. In addition, only patronymic, difference of Khachik or Vachik, may not be a problem for the police to find him. Police saying the patronymic right or wrong is a reasonable excuse, it once again asserts that the police, on behalf of the Chief of Police Vladimir Gasparyan, displays complete idleness, or otherwise Mihran Melkonyan is a political prisoner. Why was Mihran arrested at the time when he had begun to express his position with regard to these two officials dismissed? Why was he arrested a day after he gave a broadcast about being assaulted, to the fact the assault was committed by the employee of the City Hall? Why was he kidnapped and arrested the very next day and not a few days before. It was a form of keeping silent, and had a tendency to discredit and devalue this process. Who was Mihran and what has he done, it is not our problem, we are not organizers, and we have no obligation to study the whole biography of any individual before accepting his participation, and only after then collaborate with him,”- said the sit-in participant.
As for the assertion of the Deputy Police Chief Valerie Osipyan that Mihran is a crime suspect, Vahagn Minasyan said,- “The message posted in the website of the Police denied the assertion of Mr. Osipyan. Mihran has been conditionally released from prison and was obligated to sign on a regular basis, which was not done for a few months, I’m sure, because of unawareness. But one thing is very strange, if he was wanted by the police since June 21, and since July 18 for a whole month he was in the center of attention by police, under the cameras, at least in videos or even in clips, policemen in Spitak could have seen him, and reported to the police here, so the patronymic could not be a problem here.”
Arpine SIMONYAN
