Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has not asked his son to withdraw the complaint against Gayane Hakobyan, the mother of soldier Zhora Martirosyan who was killed in the 2020 Artsakh war.
The Shengavit District Court of General Jurisdiction in Yerevan on Saturday approved the woman’s arrest for one month after she was charged with attempting to “kidnap” the premier’s son, Ashot Pashinyan, sparking anti-government protests in the Armenian capital.
Several dozen other relatives of soldiers killed in action, who were angered by the court decision, announced a nonstop sit-in outside the Armenian government building, demanding her release.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Pashinyan claimed during a conversation about the incident, his son’s arguments “deprived” him of the opportunity to urge him to withdraw the report.
“I wasn’t in Armenia at the time of the incident. Upon my return, I saw that legal proceedings had already started. When I spoke with him [his son], he said, “Isn’t it all about the legal settlement of issues in Armenia?” And how should I respond to this argument?” he said.
