The prime minister is “ordering a criminal case live on air,” the Prosperous Armenia Party’s campaign headquarters said in a statement published by party spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan on Facebook.
During a campaign rally in Vanadzor on May 20, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the NSS would submit a report to the Investigative Committee against Andranik Tevanyan under the article on treason.
“In Armenia’s electoral history and in international practice, an unprecedented process took place today: the country’s sitting prime minister announced during a rally that at the evening rally he would name a candidate from one of the leading opposition forces against whom the NSS should initiate proceedings.
Hours later, at another rally, he named Andranik Tevanyan. From the standpoint of legal practice, this is absurd and unprecedented behavior. The prime minister is live on air instructing that a case be launched against a candidate from a leading opposition force, not only exceeding his powers but also violating the logic of legal practice and international experience,” the statement said.
It added that all of Andranik Tevanyan’s activities have always been transparent and conducted openly in line with his principles and values. According to the statement, all of his actions have always been visible to the public.
“We view this as a manifestation of election panic and an unacceptable attempt to disrupt the normal course of the campaign.
These steps are, broadly speaking, an assessment of the election process itself: the authorities clearly see the collapse of their own ratings and are attempting to interfere in the electoral process through forceful methods. This is unlawful and demonstrates contempt toward the entire political field and the voter. We call on the law enforcement system to serve only the law and not submit to political orders.
Let us recall how many people Nikol Pashinyan has labeled criminals of varying scale during his time in office, arresting them and initiating unlawful criminal cases. People were later acquitted due to the absence of a crime, but the law enforcement system and human lives suffered irreversible consequences.
The public knows very well the real value and reasons behind such statements. Under any circumstances, we will stand by our teammate. Despite all attacks and the use of force and informational terror, the Prosperous Armenia Party will confidently continue its campaign, which involves direct and open dialogue with society and programmatic discussions on all issues concerning the people. Our goal is to establish internal solidarity in the country, stability, guaranteed peace, the welfare of our citizens and Armenia’s post-war recovery.
We are confident these will be the priorities of the new government formed after June 7,” the statement said.
Andranik Tevanyan responded to Pashinyan by saying that “this illegality will stick in his throat.”
“Can you imagine? Nikol Pashinyan, who serves the interests of Turkey and Azerbaijan and handed over Artsakh and Armenian territories through state treason, is accusing me of state treason,” he said.
