War vet who launched protests remanded in prison on ‘fraud’ charges, colleagues claim ‘political motives’
06:28, October 23, 2013 | News | Rights of Soldiers/Recruits | Armed Forces, Police
The Karabakh war veteran who initiated and led a series of sitting strikes and civil protests together with his comrades-in-arms over the past few months, was taken into a two-month custody by the court decision on Sunday.
Retired army colonel Volodya Avetisyan together with a group of fellow veterans declared a sit-in in Yerevan’s Liberty Square in May, which later grew into a more structured and united stand-off demanding improvement of their social conditions and legislative changes to consolidate the reform, has been charged with fraud.
The Defense Ministry’s investigation department’s press service reports that “by cheating and abuse of trust Avetisyan has misappropriated $2,000 under the pretence of support to citizen H. Zakaryan in releasing his grandson from compulsory army conscription.”
Many of Avetisyan’s comrades-of-arms condemn the arrest and believe it has been done to silence their friend. Retired lieutenant colonel Samvel Mkrtchyan has termed this development as “absurd and nonsense”, and says he does not rule out that the purpose might be to hamper certain achievements they have made during the four months of their protest.
“Yesterday I talked to the investigator, and he told me he has sufficient proofs that in August Volodya was involved in such a deal. He told me his telephone was wiretapped and that the military police was in charge of that case… I countered that for four months we have been in this movement together and Volodya was well aware that he might be in the focus of attention of respective bodies, that his every step was being watched closely, that his telephone might be wiretapped, how could he have resorted to something like that knowing all the above? Secondly, I have known Volodya for a very long time, he has led an unblemished life, we have gone through a war together, and I know him as man of great integrity, he would never have done such a thing, no way we can believe it,” says Mkrtchyan.
Human rights activist Artur Sakunts believes the criminal prosecution against Avetisyan “is clearly political persecution”.
“In any event, it has to do with his civil (to some, political) activities, but in the highlight of the suspended criminal prosecution against Liska’s (Syunik’s former governor Suren Khachatryan) son and bodyguard, filing a criminal case against Avetisyan is immoral,” says Sakunts.
The charges against Avetisyan suggest a fine by 500-1,000-fold of minimal salary, or 2-5 years of imprisonment. It is noteworthy, that the court refused to release Avetisyan, who has allegedly ‘misappropriated’ $2,000, under the offered bail of around $7,400, five real estate units, and 20 war veterans’ guarantees. Attorney Ara Zakaryan cites the court as saying that “being in freedom Avetisyan might hinder the preliminary investigation and commit a new crime”.
The attorney says Avetisyan has refused to tell anything to the investigative body and will “say in public when he believes is appropriate”.