Lawyer: Imnemnimi podcaster transferred to prison; hunger strike to  continue

ArmInfo.Narek Samsonyan, co- host of the Imnemnimi podcast, has been transferred from the hospital back to the Armavir penitentiary, which effectively means he will continue his hunger strike. Lawyer Ruben Melikyan shared this update via his Facebook page.

According to Melikyan,  Samsonyan had been at the Izmirlyan Medical  Center since this morning. He noted that Samsonyan was scheduled to  undergo surgery at this very facility in December, but the operation  was postponed first due his arrest and then due to the sharp  deteriorating health. "Samsonyan has refused medical assistance  because he is being denied the opportunity to undergo surgery at the  facility of his choice, with his primary treating physician. This  effectively confirms Samsonyan's intention to resume his hunger  strike," Melikyan said.

Nevertheless, the lawyer expressed hope that authorities might still  transfer Samsonyan  back to the Izmirlyan Medical Center tomorrow for  the necessary rehabilitation required prior to surgery.