Armenian premier will not rest until all dissenters are jailed -  opposition MP

ArmInfo. Judge Masis Melkonyan of the Yerevan Primary Court will not surprise either the authorities or the public with his decision regarding Archbishop  Arshak Khachatryan. Hayk Mamijanyan, leader of the opposition  parliamentary faction "I Have the Honor," stated this on December 5  outside the Yerevan Primary Court.

The day before, the RA Investigative Committee announced the  initiation of a public criminal prosecution against Archbishop Arshak  Khachatryan under paragraphs 1 and 4, Part 2, Article 393 of the RA  Criminal Code (distribution and sale of narcotics by prior agreement  by a group of persons). The court is currently considering the  cleric's arrest. According to Mamijanyan, it would be surprising if a  different judge presided over the archbishop's case. "Masis Melkonyan  has always been conspicuous by his 'impartiality,' his failure to  follow orders from the authorities, etc.," the opposition figure said  sarcastically. He expressed confidence that the judge would arrest  Khachatryan. Mamijanyan recalled that this refers to an incident from  2018, when several people testified that Archbishop Arshak had  allegedly planted drugs in their pockets. "Apparently, the  authorities were considering how and what to do to arrest Arshak  Khachatryan. Initially, they considered planting drugs in his pocket,  but then decided it would be better if Khachatryan himself planted  them on others. This is no longer shameful; it speaks of impiety and  immorality," Mamijanyan noted.

He added that the authorities will not rest on their laurels. All  opposition representatives will be jailed one after another. To  prevent such a development, the opposition leader called for the  consolidation of all Armenian society, not only around the Armenian  Apostolic Church but also around all of Armenia. "We have no  alternative. As the elections approach, Pashinyan will further  increase pressure on influential figures in society, and especially  after the elections, if he is re-elected, these steps will become  more brutal," Mamijanyan said, emphasizing the need to halt such  developments as quickly as possible. "This process cannot be stopped  without the active participation of all patriots and all of Armenian  society.  Otherwise, Pashinyan will not rest until he has jailed all  dissenters," the opposition leader added.