Stop Persecuting Former PM Hrant Bagratyan, Says HAK

Taking the opportunity to dictate illegal decisions of a judicial system they have enslaved, the administration continues to politically persecute opposition members, reads a statement released by the opposition bloc the Armenian National Congress (HAK) Wednesday, which drew attention to several court decisions to fine HAK member and former prime minister of Armenia Hrant Bagratyan (pictured).

The statement notes that the former PM, who publicly criticized the privatization of Armsavingsbank and the dissolution of Agrobank in Feb. 2008, has been persecuted for three years. Bagratyan pointed to fraud and accused then head of the Central Bank (current PM) Tigran Sargsyan.

“The court was unable to to bypass the heinous violations found by H. Bagratyan in those transactions; however, instead of punishing the guilty, clinging to the fact that the former prime minister used the word ‘alienation’ instead of ‘liquidation’ in his remarks, [the court] not only exacted from him 1.2 million drams [about $3,200 USD] in fines, but also, pressured by T. Sargsyan, made an illegal decision, mandating H. Bagratyan to apologize to T. Sargsyan in writing. The former prime minister refused to adhere to the illegal part of the court’s ruling, as a result of which the court is setting a fine of 400,000 drams [about $1,067 USD] for the fourth time,” reads the statement.

The Armenian National Congress, in its statement, says it supports Bagratyan’s civic decision and asks that the “financial terrorism” against him come to an end immediately.

“Putting aside the dozens of shameful acts and crimes committed through T. Sargsyan’s activities yet to be uncovered, the listed obvious and well-known [acts] are enough not only to remove him from office, but also to criminally prosecute him,” concludes the statement.