Thirteen Armenian media and rights organizations in a July 28 statement called the criminal proceedings against Levon Barseghyan, the president of Gyumri’s Asparez Journalists’ Club, fabricated, and considered the knife he had on him being called a “cold weapon” a pretense to punish him for his civic stance.

The signatory organizations demand law enforcement bodies to “immediately drop the criminal case against and release Levon Barseghyan” and demand the ruling political elite “to cease violence against demonstrators and active citizens and return law enforcement officers’ actions to lawful ground.”

The statement was signed by the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, Media Initiatives Center [responsible for this site], Yerevan Press Club, Goris Press Club, Armenian Helsinki Committee, and an additional eight media or rights organizations.

Levon Barseghyan was detained by Shengavit police division on July 27 around 3:30 am, after participating in the rally on Yerevan’s Movses Khorenatsi St. Later, criminal proceedings were launched on suspicion of carrying a cold weapon. He was arrested and subjected to a forensic medical examination.