Arrested Armenian government critic facing additional charges
Samvel Vardanyan, an Armenian government critic, is facing additional charges after confronting pro-government MP Hakob Aslanyan on a bus in Yerevan on Monday, lawyer Ruben Melikyan revealed.
The young man was arrested on charges of hooliganism after calling Aslanyan, a deputy of the ruling Civil Contract party, an “anti-Armenian scumbag” which sparked an altercation.
Melikyan told reporters on Wednesday that Vardanyan could be placed in pretrial detention.
He added that apart from the hooliganism charges, the man was also accused of “inciting hostility” towards a political force which was incriminated to Armen Grigoryan and Narek Malyan.
"Greetings to all those applauding Armenia's democracy!” Melikyan said.