Armenian law-enforcement authorities have brought criminal charges against the exiled mayor of the Nagorno-Karabakh town of Askeran who has participated in recent antigovernment demonstrations in Yerevan.
Hayk Shamiryan, who fled Karabakh last September along with its practically entire population, was arrested on Thursday on charges of fraud and forgery of documents. Armenia’s Investigative Committee petitioned a Yerevan court to remand him in pre-trial custody. The court refused to do so on Friday, placing Shamiryan under house arrest instead.
Neither the committee nor the prosecutors shed light on the accusations brought against him. According to Ruben Melikyan, a lawyer critical of the Armenian government, they stem Shamirian’s management of the Askeran municipality’s property. Melikyan said the criminal case is “absurd” because the Armenian authorities have no jurisdiction over Karabakh, especially since the region was recaptured by Baku and depopulated as a result.
“You recognized Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan and are now prosecuting its people,” Melikyan said, appealing to the authorities.
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The lawyer described the case as government retribution for Shamirian’s political views and activities in Armenia.
Shamirian was repeatedly detained by police during antigovernment rallies held by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan in Yerevan this month. Also, he was among exiled leaders and ordinary refugees from Karabakh who met with Galstanyan on Tuesday.
The meeting was part of the archbishop’s consultations with various groups and individuals aimed at ramping up momentum for his opposition-backed bid to oust Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. His next major rally in scheduled for Sunday.
Pashinyan’s political team seems concerned about Karabakh Armenians’ participation in the protests triggered by the Armenian premier’s decision to hand over several disputed border areas to Azerbaijan. Some of its surrogates have openly warned the refugees to stay away from the protests.
Critics have accused the authorities of also trying to discourage other Armenians from participating in Galstanyan’s movement through trumped-up charges.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Investigative Committee said that 25 participants of the protests, which began in the northern Tavush province on April 20, have been charged with “hooliganism” and other crimes so far. Ten of them remain under arrest, stressed the law-enforcement agency headed by one of Pashinyan’s trusted lieutenants.