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The lawyers of former head of community of Vanadzor Mamikon Aslanyan, the leader of "Mamikon Aslanyan bloc" which claimed the majority of the votes in the recent local elections have issued a statement. 

Lawyers Lusine Sahakyan and Yervand Varosyan remind that during the December 5 elections, Mamikon Aslanyan bloc received 12,814 votes which is 45% of the Council of Elders. The first meeting of the Council of Elders is scheduled for December 17, where Mamikon Aslanyan was expected to be elected as the new head of the community.

However, today, Bright Armenia party, which didn't cross the threshold needed to make it into the local legislative body with 1,313 votes, has filed a motion disputing the election committee's decision on the distribution of the mandates. The lawyers believe the move is aimed at simply putting off the council's first meeting by a week. Furthermore, in the words of the lawyers, by a strange coincidence, Mamikon Aslanyan was arrested on Wednesday. 

The Investigative Committee has brought charges on abuse of power and official forgery against him and is set to appeal to the court to choose arrest as a preventive measure against him.  

"After getting familiarized with the charges it became obvious that in reality Mamikon Aslanyan is accused of winning the local elections in Vanadzor against the will of authorities. The implementation of the duties envisaged by his capacities of the head of community which are presented in the form of charges has nothing in common with the brought crime.  

"The arrest of another person, who won the elections of local-self government bodies by the will of the people and against the will of authorities, is an explicit political persecution," the statement said.