Tevanyan challenges extended detention, charges

PanARMENIAN.Net - Andranik Tevanyan, leader of the Mother Armenia party, published a letter from the “Yerevan-Center” penitentiary, alleging that Judge Garik Abelyan had for a second time “carried out an order by unlawfully extending his detention for another two months.”

Tevanyan said even the prosecution acknowledges that there is no substantiated evidence supporting the charges brought against him.

He argued that references to investigative secrecy and state secrets prevent his lawyers from speaking more openly about what they consider the groundless nature of the case and from publicly presenting relevant disclosures.

“What is noteworthy is that even the prosecution admits there is no substantiated evidence behind the charges they have brought, yet they ‘justify’ my detention by saying they are working to find evidence and grounds for their claims. In other words, they effectively concede that the ‘case’ is underdeveloped and the evidence is based on assumptions, but ‘just in case’ and as part of an order, they detained me and Aregnaz Manukyan, supposedly to prevent us from obstructing their work or evading the investigation,” Tevanyan wrote.

According to Tevanyan, during the July 21 court hearing, the defense asked for proceedings to be held in open court so the public could learn about the circumstances of the case. The investigator opposed the request, however, and the court once again held the hearing behind closed doors.

The leader of the “Mother Armenia” movement again denied accusations that he had been recruited by foreign intelligence services or received $622,000 in exchange for providing classified information.

“It is a lie. There is no evidence or substantiation whatsoever,” Tevanyan wrote.

Tevanyan’s detention was extended on July 22. On May 22, the Central Electoral Commission approved a motion to strip him of immunity and initiate criminal proceedings against him. He was remanded in custody for two months on May 23.