MP files criminal complaint over political persecution

PanARMENIAN.Net - Member of Parliament from the Hayastan faction, Gegham Manukyan, has filed a criminal complaint to the Prosecutor General of Armenia. He reports that law-enforcement authorities seized his personal mobile phone one week ago—a device containing both private and parliamentary activity-related information.

Manukyan asserts that he has expressed his position through legal mechanisms but simultaneously emphasized his lack of trust in the Prosecutor General’s Office, which he claims “carries out numerous political orders,” according to Pastinfo.

He notes the seizure occurred at an address the court recognized as his son’s place of actual residence. According to him, the seizure was legally unjustified, yet authorities attempted it. Manukyan refused to hand over the phone; the Human Rights Defender’s office was informed. He claims law enforcement officers then summoned him aside, used force to seize the phone, and caused minor bodily harm.

He added: “They said they would return it shortly, but a week has passed, and no one from the Yerevan division of the Investigative Committee answers my calls. My phone remains confiscated to this day.”

Manukyan also states there was an attempted breach into the phone’s security system. He says the phone’s manufacturer, responding to alerts from him and several human rights defenders, remotely locked the device.

He continued: “I have almost no expectations from the Prosecutor General’s Office. When ruling-party MPs used force in the National Assembly hall, there were no legal consequences. Considering the volume of political orders, it is unlikely there will be any now either.”

He further noted the phone was seized not only from him but also from his son, Taron Manukyan. Although no charges have been brought against Taron, and no evidence was found during the search, the phone has not been returned. He emphasized that Taron was held for 72 hours without any legal basis and later released without charges.

On the morning of July 10, searches were carried out at homes of Dashnak party members, after which seven individuals were detained and taken to the Investigative Committee of Armenia. Several days later, most were released.