Levon Barseghyan: Authorities simply wanted to isolate me (video)
Levon Barseghyan, a prominent civic activist and Chairman of Gyumri-based Asparez Journalists’ Club, believes that by his arrest the police simply wanted to have him isolated for several hours. In a press conference given on Friday shortly after his release, Barseghyan said, “This time they managed to isolate me for 2,5 days, next time I think they will keep me [in custody] much longer.” Barseghyan was placed under arrest on Wednesday evening allegedly for carrying a pocket knife. The arrest was condemned by the Founding Parliament opposition movement media associations and civil rights groups who called for the activist’s immediate release. Earlier on Friday, the Investigative Committee said it will not press charges against Levon Barseghyan because forensic experts have concluded that the pocket folding knife cannot be considered ‘a bladed weapon.’ During the press conference Barseghyan added that he has three cars where he keeps more weapons than [Governor of Syunik Marz] Surik Khachatryan can have. “I am speaking seriously without irony. They had better search my cars,” he said adding that the disputable knife he carries with him was also examined last year during the events on Baghramyan Avenue when people were protesting against a planned hike in electricity tariffs.
