Samvel Karapetyan prosecuted unlawfully, lawyer insists

The criminal case against businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan has been unlawful from the very beginning, his defense team insists. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Karapetyan’s lawyer, Liana Gasparyan, reiterated that they had consistently raised concerns about the illegitimacy of the proceedings.

“We have repeatedly voiced it, yet the investigating body has taken no action whatsoever,” Gasparyan stated.

The defense lawyer emphasized that nearly a month has passed since Karapetyan’s pre-trial detention was extended, during which the investigative body has taken no procedural steps.

“In that case, the question arises: why does Samvel Karapetyan remain in detention, unlawfully deprived of his freedom? Evidently, he is facing political persecution. In case of a genuine legal process, let me put it this way: if the Criminal Procedure Code had had legs, it would have run away,” Gasparyan remarked.

Samvel Karapetyan was detained on 18 June, a day after making a statement in defence of the Armenian Apostolic Church and criticizing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's campaign against it.