The Reserve Officers’ Movement once again condemns the “unlawful and anti-national” activities of the current Armenian authorities related to the arrest of Artsakh war veteran, Colonel Ashot Minasyan (a.k.a. Ashot the Iron), demanding his immediate release.
Minasyan, the commander of the Sisakan volunteer unit that took part in two Artsakh wars, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of plotting to kill Nikol Pashinyan and seize power along with several other political and military figures last year. He was first arrested in November 2020 to be released shortly afterwards.
"Not abandoning their treacherous plans to cede Syunik to our longtime enemy, the authorities have been keeping the leaders of Syunik communities in custody for months. Now they have arrested another patriotic man ready to fight against the enemy, commander Ashot Minasyan, to achieve their ultimate goal,” the movement said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The Reserve Officers’ Movement demands the immediate release of both Ashot Minasyan and the Syunik community heads, as well as an end to political persecution against all opposition figures," reads the statement.