Mayor of Goris Arush Arushanyan has been released.

After his release, Arushanyan told reporters that he considers the criminal case instituted against him political persecution.

Asked if he believes Nikol Pashinyan’s failure to enter Goris after his call to the citizens of Goris was a success, Arushanyan said it was the will of the residents of Syunik Province. “Nikol Pashinyan doesn’t have the right to enter Syunik Province because he gave up the land protected by the residents to the enemy,” he added.

Touching upon the protests of the citizens of Goris demanding his release, the mayor said he has never doubted the honor and dignity of the residents of Syunik Province.

On December 21, Mayor of Goris Arush Arushanan was also apprehended, and advocates didn’t have any information about him for a few hours and didn’t even know the criminal case under which he had been apprehended. After a while, it was announced that Arushanyan was at the Investigative Committee in Yerevan and was being interviewed under the criminal case instituted in regard to the organizing and holding of illegal rallies.

Today the court examined the appeal against the lawfulness of the decision on his detention.

The General Department of Investigation for Particularly Important Cases at the Investigative Committee is also investigating cases of prima facie crimes committed by the mayor. In this regard, Arushanyan’s attorney Armen Melkonyan informed that the preliminary investigation body was trying to combine a few criminal cases in single proceedings so that it can submit a petition to court to arrest him under serious articles.