A member of “No to Plunder” initiative, Maxim Sargsyan, thinks that they are trying to oppress in every way: psychologically and financially, but it will not work
The Administrative Court began to examine the administrative lawsuits filed by RA Police against a number of activists protesting against the electricity price hike in Baghramyan Avenue. These lawsuits are under the same article. The police demands bring the activists into responsibility by Code of Administrative Offenses (Article 182. Failure to fulfil the lawful demand of police officers).
Such two lawsuits were filed by the police against one of the most active members of “No to Plunder” initiative, Maxim Sargsyan, which refer to the protests that took place on September 1 and 12. Note that on the days of the protests, “No to Plunder” initiative had issued several press-releases, in which they were announcing that their protests are exclusively peaceful in nature but many people were arrested during the protests.
Maxim Sargsyan, in an interview with Aravot, expressed an opinion that they were illegally detained that day, and now, they are obligated to keep to the letter of the law, “The law also provides that if a person is detained, they should apply to the court to prove our guilt. They have detained us illegally. We all know that they did not have the right because the law defines that as long as the protest is peaceful in nature, the police are obliged to support the rally.”
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According to him, the police have not denied that the rally was peaceful and there was no need to prove it, “Whereas for September 1, they need to prove it. As a proof, a video was submitted, which I have not seen yet, my attorney is examining it. During the next court session, we will declare our opinion and position.”
Maxim Sargsyan opines that thus the police are trying to show other people standing aside who do not have court cases that if they fight too, similar things will happen to them too, “Naturally, they are trying to restrain us too. Paying a fine of 50000 AMD is an influential money today for everybody. They are trying to oppress us in every way: psychologically and financially but it will not work because this is not the way of breaking people.”
The member of “No to Plunder” initiative said that the subsidy provided by the government to the consumers for up to 250 kilowatt electricity per month is just a document because “watching a TV in a small room and using two ordinary household items already exceeds this 250 kilowatt.”
So far, no new steps are projected against the electricity price hike because there is a process of transfer of shares currently going on in the ENA, “They are changing the meters, firing people from work, etc. Until we understand what is the ultimate goal and where it leads to, currently, we are not planning any moves connected with the electricity price hike so that the next fight is also organized correctly.”
Maxim Sargsyan announced that there was plunder going on in the ENA until businessman Samvel Karapetyan’s purchasing it, “We have talked many times, even up to the Ministry level. If the minister announces that there has been a theft, but then he says that he has said it not literally. If there will be someone who will explain the indirect meaning of the word theft, I will apologize, but the theft, as far as my know, has one meaning. After all, no criminal case is filed against the owners of ENA, it is just on sale.”
According to him, now the owner is an Armenian man who is financially quite established, “And if he is a man thinking a little about the people, he will reduce the price because in case of proper operation of the ENA, the price can go further down than the former price. It just requires willingness. And as to what Samvel Karapetyan will do, we will see in the future.”
Ashot ISRAELYAN,
“Aravot” daily
