ARMEN MARTIROSYAN: LEVON HAYRAPETYAN’S ARREST HAS EITHER AZERBAIJANI OR ARMENIAN TRACE
by Nana Martirosyan
Friday, July 18, 15:46
Either Baku or Yerevan are involved in the arrest of Russian-Armenian
businessman and benefactor Levon Hayrapetyan, Heritage party deputy
chairman Armen Martirosyan said.
Azerbaijan can be interested in the arrest of Hayrapetyan, since the
latter is known for his actions in Nagorno-Karabakh. As to official
Yerevan, the businessman has recently criticized the ruling regime and
spoke about necessary changes that could provoke discontent of the
Armenian authorities, Armen Martirosyan said. He ruled out Russia’s
involvement, claiming that Russia arrests businessman only if they have
links with the opposition. “Taking into account yesterday’s remark
by PM Hovik Abrahamyan, who said that arrested for violation of law,
the Armenian authorities believe he is guilty. But, his guilt has
not been proved yet,” Martirosyan added.
To recall, on 17 July the Russian special services have detained one
of the richest Armenian businessmen in the world Levon Hayrapetyan
on suspicion of being privy to the notorious “Kingisep” criminal group.
According to Rosbalt, Hayrapetyan was detained on Tuesday upon arriving
in Moscow from his home in Monaco.
Shortly the investigators are planning to petition the Basmanny Court
to arrest the businessman. They are currently investigating the case
of Sergey-Finagin’s “Kingisepp” group, which together with Alexander
Matusov’s “Schelkovo” gang, is believed to have done a number of
contract killings first for businessman Georgy Safiyev (killed in
the United States) and then for former Senator Igor Izmestyev (who
is now in jail for life). And it was Izmestyev who said that Levon
Hayrapetyan was privy to some of the killings, particularly, those
related to the Bashneft oil company.