Kidnappers of Armenian activist Artak Khachatryan release him beaten

Today, Artak Khachatryan, an activist of the initiative group "Termination", was kidnapped by unknown armed masked men, said Elinar Vardanyan, a member of the parliamentary faction of the "Prosperous Armenia" Party.

According to Ms Vardanyan, Artak Khachatryan managed to inform Vahan Babayan, another MP of the same faction, about his kidnapping.

Also today, representatives of small and medium-sized businesses gathered at the building of the Armenian government and demanded to find Artak Khachatryan, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Arshak Khachatryan, Artak's brother, said that should the demand to release him were not fulfilled by 7:00 p.m., the protesters would start a sit-in strike.

But later, according to Artak Khachatryan, the kidnappers released him by throwing out near his home.

After this fact became known, the Yerevan protesters – there were about 50 of them – dispersed.

Artak Khachatryan was sent to the Malatsia Medical Centre, where he is examined and treated, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Artak Khachatryan was actively fighting against amendments to the Law "On Turnover Tax".

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.