13:36, 27 January 2022

Court rules to release Karabakh war veteran Ashot Minasyan

According to the court’s decision, Ashot Minasyan, a participant in three Karabakh wars, accused of illegal possession of firearms, will be released after bail is paid. Ashot Minasyan pleads not guilty.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in November 2020, Ashot Minasyan, the leader of the “Ashot Yerkat” volunteer detachment, was detained in Armenia together with other suspects in the case on plotting an assassination attempt on the prime minister and an attempt to usurp power. All suspects were later released.

Human rights defenders considered Ashot Minasyan’s arrest a political decision. On December 2, in Yerevan, supporters of the participant in the Karabakh wars held a rally with the demand of his release, taking into account his state of health. Another protest action took place on December 31. Investigators stopped the prosecution of Ashot Minasyan under articles on plotting an assassination attempt on Nikol Pashinyan and an attempt to usurp power. The defendant is still charged with illegal possession of firearms.

Ashot Minasyan assured that, being at large, he would not leave the country and would not hide from the investigators, as “he is not even afraid of sentence.”

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 26, 2022 at 08:49 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Armine Martirosyan

Source: CK correspondent