Lawyer condemns arrest of fallen soldier's mother

Human rights activist Ruben Melikyan has condemned the arrest of Gayane Hakobyan, the mother of Armenian soldier Zhora Martirosyan killed in the 2020 Artsakh war, ordered by a Yerevan court.

The arrest ruling was issued by presiding judge Zhora Chichoyan on Saturday.

“A prosecutor's son, young judge Zhora decided to arrest Mrs Gayane, whose son Zhora died defending the homeland,” the lawyer wrote on Facebook.

The woman is accused of attempting to “kidnap” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s son, Ashot Pashinyan, on Wednesday.

She denies the kidnapping allegations and has gone on hunger strike despite suffering from serious health issues.