The editorial staff of Antifake.am issued a statement on the rejection of appeals against the detention of Narek Samsonyan, the political prisoner (he is the Chairman of “Civil Consciousness” NGO, the founder of Antifake.am online media outlet, co-author and co-host of “Imnemnimi” Podcast) and Vazgen Saghatelyan, the political prisoner (he is the co-author and co-host of the same podcast).
On April 29, the Court of Appeals of the Republic of Armenia, headed by judge Lusine Alaverdyan, rejected the appeal brought against the detention of the political prisoner Narek Samsonyan, head of the "Civil Consciousness" NGO, founder of the AntiFake.am online media outlet, co-author and co-host of the "Imnemnimi" podcast. On April 22, the same judge had already rejected the appeal against the detention of political prisoner Vazgen Saghatelyan, co-author and co-host of the "Imnemnim" podcast.
Basically, by the direct order of the Pashinyan administration, the Court of Appeals left unchanged the decision regarding the two-month detention of media figures imprisoned for free speech. The current regime and its affiliated judiciary, in this case the Court of Appeals, once again proved that they continue ignore such fundamental values as the basic human rights of free expression and political criticism.
Reminder: Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan were arrested and subsequently detained for 2 months on March 22 for harshly criticizing the surrendering policy of the Pashinyan administration during the 83rd episode of the podcast while discussing Pashinyan’s decision to transfer some Armenian territories, that is, several Armenian villages of Tavush to Azerbaijan.
We consider it necessary to emphasize that Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan, engaged in public activities, were detained on the basis of the infamous "serious offense" article of the RA Criminal Code which was decriminalized and no longer exists under the efforts and pressure of international institutions, but the authorities "revived" it under the delict of hooliganism.
The editorial staff of Antifake.am strongly condemn the illegal decision of the Court of Appeals to reject the appeals brought against the detention of opposition figures, co-authors and co-hosts of the "Imnemnim" podcast, Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan, by order of the Pashinyan regime. We view this as a manifestation of the Pashinyan regime's suppression of free speech, political dissension and isolation of its political opponents at all costs in the course of implementing its state-destructive policies in Tavush, especially these days.
We urge the journalistic community, human rights organizations, and international organizations to assess the freedom of speech, the political terror carried out by the Pashinyan regime against its political opponents, and especially the above-mentioned controversial decision made by the Court of Appeals, which is an appendage of the government."
AntiFake.am Editorial Staff
Source - AntiFake.am