Samvel Karapetyan facing 'political vendetta', lawyer says

A lawyer for detained businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan accused the Armenian authorities of mounting an “unprecedented and unlawful” campaign against his client, calling the case a clear example of political persecution.

At a press conference on Friday, attorney Aram Vardevanyan recalled that Karapetyan has been held in detention for 177 days and that the rule of law in Armenia is non-existent in his case. He said courts, prosecutors and investigators had failed to provide a single credible justification for keeping Karapetyan in pre-trial detention.

Vardevanyan stated that the proceedings were driven by political vendetta, saying Karapetyan had effectively become a “political hostage”. He linked the businessman’s arrest to his public support for the Armenian Apostolic Church, claiming there was a broader political effort to pressure and diminish the church’s role.

The lawyer pointed to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s June 17 statement, saying it set the stage for “Facebook-style justice” and undermined judicial independence. He accused the Court of Appeals, presided over by judge Zhenya Meliksetyan, of failing to fix the violations.

Vardevanyan said the case had drawn attention both inside Armenia and internationally, warning that “collective consequences” would follow from actions taken by specific officials.

Karapetyan was detained earlier this year after making comments in support of the Armenia Apostolic Church.