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Lawyer Gevorg Danielyan, a former justice minister, has reflected on the government’s decision to ban Mourad “Franck” Papazian, a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau and co-chair of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF), from entering Armenia.

Papazian, who has been declared a “persona non grata” in Armenia, was detained at Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport and deported back to Paris early on Thursday.

"The only reason for declaring Mourad Papazian a “persona non grata” could be reliable data on alleged damage to the country's national security,” Danielyan said in a social media post.

“In the case of a person who obviously enjoys a good reputation in France and has been received personally by the president many times, it does not inspire confidence that there is such compromising reliable data. Anyway, it is a state secret and we can only judge from the figure’s public activities,” he added.

Danielyan addressed the claims that Papazian disparaged national symbols.

“Under Article 21 of the Constitution, the state symbols of Armenia are the flag, coat of arms and anthem. As far as I am familiar with Papazian's public activities, I have noticed just the opposite: he is a staunch defender of the symbols,” the lawyer said, calling for release of evidence to substantiate the claims.