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The charge brought against Armen Tavadyan, the owner of the Fifth TV Channel is a political persecution, lawyer Narek Aloyan stated on Friday.

In his words, Tavadyan was invited to the Yerevan Investigation department on May 17 where he was charged with hooliganism combined with medium gravity damage to the health of the person punishable by Article 258, Part 4 of the Armenian Criminal Code.

The case refers to the incident occurred days ago during the protest action outside the Yerevan court during the trial of Armenian ex-President Robert Kocharyan. Civic Activist Vardges Gaspari reported to Police about a skirmish in the court lobby where he was hit a by plastic bottle allegedly thrown by Tavadyan.

“We do not understand the charge for that I refused to testify. I assume I am charged for the fact I was simply in the court building on that day. This is quite strange since I consider myself a free citizen and have the right to be wherever I want if there are no certain restrictions,” Tavadyan told the reporters and the gathered citizens later, walking out of the Police department.

As the lawyer informed the investigators had asked a court in Yerevan to allow Tavadyan’s pre-trial detention with the hearing expected later today or tomorrow.

Aloyan refrained from providing details about the essence of the charge and the legality of the detention measure, saying he will have the chance to comment on the case during the court hearing and not only.

“Political persecution are carried out against Tavadyan. Number of circumstances come to prove my assumption,” Aloyan concluded.