Armenian opposition activist slams 'absurd' court ban
Opposition activist Avetik Chalabyan, coordinator of the Hayakve initiative, has denounced as “absurd” a court ban on his political activities.
Chalabyan was charged for allegedly attempting to bribe students of the Armenian National Agrarian University to participate in anti-government protests in Yerevan back in 2022. He rejected the charges as “trumped-up and politically motivated” and claimed that the Armenian authorities ordered his “political persecution”.
A verdict issued by Yerevan’s first instance court on Thursday banned Chalabyan from holding and attending rallies for two years.
The activist announced plans to challenge the ruling in a higher court.
Chalabyan pledged to continue his struggle for a "united and free homeland and justice with renewed vigor."
“We will do our best to restore justice not only for me, but also for all other Armenian citizens suffering injustices due to the ruling regime,” he said in a statement.