YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am) — Law enforcement authorities announced on Wednesday, September 18 the arrests of three persons accused of trying to set up an armed group to overthrow Armenia’s government.
According to the Investigative Committee, they as well as four other suspects wanted by the authorities recruited individuals in Armenia and sent them to Russia for military training in preparation for an “armed coup.”
A statement released by the committee said the coup plot was foiled after “some of the recruited persons refused to participate in the training and returned to Armenia” from a “military base” in Russia called “Arbat.”
No information about such a base could be found from open sources. But “Arbat” is known to be the name of a Russian militia made up of ethnic Armenians reportedly fighting in Ukraine. The Investigative Committee did not say whether it is connected with the alleged coup plot.
Nor did the law-enforcement identify any of the arrested or fugitive suspects. Other sources told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that one of the detainees is Serob Gasparyan, the leader of a militant group called Sev Hovaz (Black Panther). Gasparyan has been an outspoken critic of the Armenian government. His lawyer, Gurgen Grigoryan, said he denies the accusations but refused to comment further.
