Petition contains no information suggesting that Artur Sargsyan intended to recruit protesters into ‘strike groups’ – Aram Vardevanyan

There is no information indicating that Artur Sargsyan, a member of the Armenia parliamentary faction, intended to recruit protesters into ‘strike groups,’ lawyer Aram Vardevanyan said in a conversation with journalists.

“Many remember the incident involving the seizure of the Patrol and Guard Service Regiment, which—legally speaking—was not classified as terrorism. Take note: it was a meticulously prepared plan, targeting a specific police unit where the bulk of the police forces’ weapons and ammunition were concentrated. Several individuals lost their lives, and moreover, concrete demands followed. Yet this case was not defined as terrorism. It’s not a matter of right or wrong—it’s just that terrorism, as a crime, applies to exceptional cases,” Vardevanyan said.

According to Vardevanyan, the published recordings cannot be considered reliable.

“The transcripts of the audio recordings contain phrases like ‘the sound is not audible’ and ‘the sound is not clear’. Now imagine—each of these omissions could entirely change the meaning of the conversation,” he noted, adding that the missing words could potentially reframe the discussions as casual, everyday conversations.