Shakhnazaryan accused NSS of political persecution

David Shakhnazaryan, a candidate for the MP from the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), has failed to appear at the National Security Service (NSS), where he was summoned to give an explanation after criticizing the statement of one of the candidates from the "My Step" bloc.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that RPA members criticized the acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in connection with the statement of Sasun Mikaelyan, one of the "My Step" bloc candidates. The Mikaelyan's words that the "victory" of the velvet revolution is more important than the victory in the Artsakh (Karabakh) War are a political programme implemented by Nikol Pashinyan – "Power instead Artsakh", Mr Shakhnazaryan said on November 27.

In connection with the statements made by Shakhnazaryan on November 27 and later, on December 4, he was invited on December 5 to the NSS for giving explanations.

However, on the appointed day he failed to appear there; instead, on December 5, David Shakhnazaryan held a press conference, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

"Today this structure [NSS] has nothing to do with the state, but only fulfils Pashinyan's instructions," said Shakhnazaryan.

Nikol Pashinyan has also responded to Shakhnazaryan's statements.

"Shakhnazaryan has accused us of organizing a conspiracy against Artsakh (the self-name of Nagorno-Karabakh), and, in fact, against Armenia and the Armenian people," the "ArmInfo" quoted the Acting Prime Minister Pashinyan as saying.

According to his version, after such statements, the NSS should conduct a check. If it turns out that the revolution took place in this way, then the conspirators should be brought to justice, said Pashinyan.

"If someone claims treason and does not come to law enforcement bodies to report a crime, it means he is a charlatan," he has added.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 6, 2018 at 03:44 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.