Arsen Babayan’s arrest additional pressure on Hrayr Tovmasyan: political analyst

The arrest of the former head of staff of the National Assembly Arsen Babayan pursues few goals, head of Media Defender initiative, political analyst Aghasi Yenokyan told the reporters today.

“This is not only expression of legal mayhem but the display of mayhem to all, for them to understand that it is possible to find combination of some articles and arrest them if necessary,” he said.

Yenokyan stressed that Arsen Babayan’s arrest is additional pressure against chairman of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan.

“This is a pressure against Hrayr Tovmasyan for him to finally step down from the post of the chairman of the Constitutional Court,” he said.

The political analyst also stressed that it is also a pressure against freedom of speech as Arsen Babayan was actively voicing his position and very often criticized the policy of the government.

“It is a very painful fact, as the issue relates not to the Constitutional Court only, or the revolution but to the annihilation of the state, or I do not know how to say whether this is a state or dictatorship, or what else,” Yenokyan added.

He also stressed that a row of arrests will follow to achieve the resignation of CC chairman.

“I urge the mass media to follow the developments in legal procedures closely,” he said.