Expert slams Ruben Mkhitaryan's 'politically motivated' detention

Constitutional law expert Gohar Meloyan highlights that attorney Ruben Mkhitaryan, the Gyumri coordinator of the Mer Dzovov (Our Way) movement and the son of legendary weightlifting coach Ashot Mkhitaryan, has been in detention for a week now.

“The published video recordings of the incident not only demonstrate the complete absence of any unlawful actions on Ruben’s part, but also confirm that his detention is purely politically motivated, conditioned by his oppositional stance,” she said in a statement on Monday.

Meloyan further criticized the muted response of international bodies to human rights violations in Armenia over the past seven years.

"On behalf of the Our Way movement, we will send letters to the embassies and international organizations operating in Armenia, describing the process surrounding Ruben's imprisonment and presenting the relevant video recordings, in the expectation of an adequate response,” the expert added.