Ara Sagatelyan released in courtroom

The Criminal Court of Appeal did not reveal any reasonable suspicions of the involvement of Ara Sagatelyan, the former chair of the Armenian parliamentary administration, in a case on fakes. After his release, Ara Sagatelyan announced his intention to continue a political struggle against those who ordered his criminal prosecution.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 21, Ara Sagatelyan was arrested in a case on fakes disseminated during the autumn escalation of the Karabakh conflict.

Today, the Criminal Court of Appeal has granted a complaint filed by advocates of Ara Sagatelyan, the former chair of the Armenian parliamentary administration, against the decision of the first instance court to arrest him. Ara Sagatelyan has been set free, the "News.Am" reports today.

Migran Pogosyan, an advocate of Ara Sagatelyan, considers the Court's decision to be the beginning of the struggle, since the person not involved in the crime was pulled out of his natural environment and illegally kept in a penitentiary institution. "The Court stated the absence of reasonable suspicions under all articles of the charges brought against Ara Sagatelyan," said Migran Pogosyan as quoted by the "Panorama". All the persons involved in the arrest of Ara Sagatelyan should be brought to justice, the advocate emphasizes.

While staying near the courthouse after his release, Ara Sagatelyan claimed the political motives behind his arrest. "The whole trial was purposeful and organized by the authorities," the "Aysor.Am" quoted Ara Sagatelyan as claiming.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 5, 2021 at 05:43 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.