Lawyer: 53 investigators doing nothing in Karapetyan case

PanARMENIAN.Net - Attorney Aram Vardevanyan, representing jailed Armenian-Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, has accused law enforcement of "resolute inaction" in the ongoing criminal case.

In a Facebook post, Vardevanyan stated that despite having 53 investigators assigned, the group has done virtually nothing for months. The only action taken recently, he noted, was the search of a linguist expert's home, who had earlier concluded that Karapetyan’s speech in support of the Armenian Apostolic Church contained no criminal "calls."

He emphasized that the Court of Appeals recently recognized the prolonged delays in the case as problematic, saying they violate Karapetyan’s fundamental rights.

He also pointed out that the defense has submitted multiple written motions demanding either case closure or a separate hearing on one of the minor allegations, all of which have been rejected.

“Six months into Samvel Karapetyan’s detention, and with no substantial progress in the investigation, the legal system is clearly being misused for political persecution,” Vardevanyan said, adding: “Freedom for all political prisoners.”