Opposition MP accuses Armenian authorities of political persecution

MP Artsvik Minasyan of the opposition Hayastan faction has accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan of politically persecuting him.

Speaking at a parliament session on Tuesday, Minasyan questioned Speaker Alen Simonyan over the timing of the debate on Vardapetyan’s motion to strip him and Hayastan faction head Seyran Ohanyan of immunity from prosecution.

"Why are you not fulfilling Nikol Pashinyan’s publicly stated wish from this very podium?" he asked.

Simonyan replied that Ohanyan had informed the parliament of his inability to attend the sitting due to a malfunctioning leg prosthesis. Under the parliament’s rules, the chief prosecutor’s motion cannot be considered in the absence of the accused.

Minasyan countered that he was referring to the case against himself, not Ohanyan. He urged Simonyan to accelerate the discussion so the public could witness what he called "a blatant political persecution" against him.