YEREVAN. - Former Karabakh Defense Minister Samvel Babayan has been arrested on the basis of the presumption of Armen Poghosyan, his attorney, Avetis Kalashyan, told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

“Charges were brought against Samvel Babayan on the basis of the testimonies or, more precisely, the presumption of Armen Poghosyan,” the attorney said.

In his words, no face-to-face interrogation was held between Arem Poghosyan and Samvel Babayan, since the former didn’t insist but supposed that Babayan had something to do with the smuggling of Igla missile system.  

“If a man doesn’t claim but makes a presumption, what face-to-face interrogation can be held? He wrote exactly that way: “I suppose,” Kalashyan said. He also noted that neither he nor his client considers the occurrence a political persecution.

On March 24, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts decided to arrest former commander of Artsakh Defense Army Samvel Babayan. The latter was detained along with two other citizens on March 22 on suspicion of smuggling of Igla.

According to the press-service of the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia, the investigation revealed that the persons, who acquired and brought the parts of missile system to Armenia, acted upon the order and in conspiracy with Samvel Babayan.