AntiFake staff protests outside EU office in Yerevan

Employees of the opposition media outlet AntiFake protested outside the European Union Delegation office in Yerevan on Friday, delivering a message from Lusine Arakelyan, the wife of detained activist Narek Samsonyan, and a letter detailing politically motivated prosecutions against the AntiFake staff.

AntiFake, founded by Samsonyan, also airs the Imnemnimi podcast on its YouTube channel, co-hosted by Samsonyan and Vahagn Saghatelyan. Both men have been detained for two months on hooliganism charges that opposition groups and experts describe as politically motivated.

Arakelyan, who appealed publicly to EU Ambassador Vassilis Maragos this week, accused the bloc of ignoring unlawful trials and the detention of dozens of government critics.

"I have been forced to become a public figure because these authorities have imprisoned my husband for the second time for exercising his right to free speech, and I must now speak on his behalf. This is not my choice. It is you who have forced me to speak through your silence and your policy of turning a blind eye to the illegal and anti-democratic processes taking place in our country. I should be at home right now raising my children, but instead, I am in this studio recording this video appeal addressed to you," she said.

Through your silence, you demonstrate that the existence of political prisoners in the Republic of Armenia is merely a tool for you to either support or pressure the government of the day, and nothing more. Otherwise, it would be impossible for you not to see the illegal trials taking place in Armenia and the political and public figures who have ended up in prison without grounds—individuals whose only "crime" is opposing these authorities and loving Armenia. The cases fabricated against political prisoners have no legal basis. Currently, over sixty politically persecuted individuals are in Armenian prisons, under house arrest, or under administrative control, and the regime spares no effort or energy to silence them." 

Protesters urged the EU to respond to the rights violations and to press for the release of Samsonyan, Saghatelyan and other detainees.