Court orders house arrest for Hayk Yeghyan, user of “Ayvazovskiy” page
House arrest and a travel ban have been imposed on Hayk Yeghyan, the user of the “Ayvazovskiy” page, for criticizing RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the “TikTok” social network. This was reported by his lawyer, Roman Yeritsyan.
Hayk Yeghyan is accused of hooliganism. According to the lawyer, Yeghyan suffers from several medical conditions incompatible with detention; he takes specifically prescribed medications, including painkillers and psychotropic drugs, and is exempt from military service in both peacetime and wartime. He resides in a village with his wife and his grandmother, who has a first-degree disability, and he serves as her sole caregiver.
According to Yeritsyan, the investigative body charged Yeghyan because he applauded and once said “bravo” on the “TikTok” platform to a person who had grossly insulted the Prime Minister, and also made harsh critical remarks toward the Prime Minister, accusing him of defaming the Catholicos and the bishops.
The lawyer noted that the defense submitted arguments to the court regarding the lack of reasonable suspicion for the hooliganism charge, the absence of grounds for applying a preventive measure, and the inadmissibility of detention. However, the court chose house arrest as the preventive measure.
According to Yeritsyan, the law also provides for a fine or community service for the act attributed to Yeghyan, whereas the investigative body had petitioned for detention.
