Russia monitores arrest of Russian-Armenian billionaire
(MENAFN)
The Kremlin has said it is closely following the legal proceedings against Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who was arrested earlier this week in Armenia on charges of calling for the overthrow of the government. Karapetyan, who holds dual Russian and Armenian citizenship, has denied the accusations, and his supporters argue the case is politically motivated.
The Kremlin has said it is closely following the legal proceedings against Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who was arrested earlier this week in Armenia on charges of calling for the overthrow of the government. Karapetyan, who holds dual Russian and Armenian citizenship, has denied the accusations, and his supporters argue the case is politically motivated.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Moscow’s interest in the case, stating, “Of course we’re watching. For us, he is a Russian citizen. We do not want to interfere in the internal affairs of Armenia, but we most carefully follow everything that is related to Russian citizens.”
Karapetyan was detained on Tuesday just hours after voicing public support for the Armenian Apostolic Church in its growing dispute with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “I have always been on the side of the Armenian Church and the Armenian people. If the politicians fail, we will intervene in the campaign against the Church in our own way,” he said.
In response, Pashinyan posted on Facebook threatening to permanently shut down Karapetyan’s business activities in Armenia. Soon after, police raided the billionaire’s Yerevan residence, and he was taken into custody.
The arrest has drawn criticism from members of the Armenian diaspora and religious leaders. A representative of Lebanon’s Armenian Democratic Liberal Party said the arrest appears tied to tensions between the church and the government, stating, “Freedom of speech is sacred, and persecution of a person for personal views is unacceptable unless martial law is declared.”
Renowned Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica also weighed in, describing the case as part of a wider assault on Eastern Christianity. Drawing comparisons with similar events in Ukraine and Montenegro, he added, “We, the Orthodox, have protection and seek it in our brotherly Russia.”
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