2022 August 23

Daily news wrap-up

Tuesday, Aug/23/2022. Your daily news summary from Armenia.
by ar_david_hh

---

16 minutes. 4119 words. 26 headlines.

the scandalous kidnapping case involving a politician's father and a former ARF MP was solved with the help of U.S., Iranian, Ukrainian, and INTERPOL cybercrime divisions

Read the context in [August 11 news digest](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/wm07nu/your_thursday_news_briefing_from_armenia_aug112022/). A former ARF MP Suren Manukyan was arrested under the suspicion of organizing or participating in the kidnapping of "Free Democrats" party leader's father. The kidnappers reportedly left the elderly man on a rural road after receiving a partial ransom from Qoqobelyan's family. CCTV footage was released allegedly showing the trail left by the suspects.

Authorities today: On July 27 we received a report about a missing 83yo man in Achajur (Tavush). We learned that in the morning a silver Opel vehicle was seen parked in front of the victim's house, while the neighbors heard strange noises coming from the house. They ignored it, thinking it was a group of land workers hired by the victim. The CCTV in front of the victim's house was found tilted away. It reinforced the theory that the victim did not leave the house voluntarily.

Two days later we received information that the 83yo victim was kidnapped. The kidnappers sent a message to the victim's family via WhatsApp, asking for a ransom payment. After learning that this was a meticulously planned scheme, we involved our cybercrime division.

The kidnappers used a VPN service and a Ukrainian phone number to send the WhatsApp message to the victim's family. With the help of our Ukrainian cybercrime colleagues, we learned that the aforementioned number was not given by any of the Ukrainian telecom operators.

Our agents learned that the Ukrainian number was generated by a website that sells virtual phone numbers, while the access to WhatsApp was made through Iran.

We received assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice, Ukraine, and Iran. The ambassador of Iran was invited to a police department for help. Iran's cyber-police and the INTERPOL office in Tehran received sufficient information to identify the persons who sent the ransom messages.

Iranians quickly identified and arrested the suspects. The confiscated computers contained the messages sent to the victim's family. They also identified a 37yo resident of Ijevan as a suspect.

We received a tip that the perpetrators were residents of Tavush. To verify the claim, we carried out an operation to confiscate CCTVs and phones, and to pull records from telecom operators. Sufficient evidence was now present to believe that our suspects were the perpetrators.

The victim's family was not informed about our operation. They played along with the extorters while we mapped out the situation.

Two of the organizers are Ijevan residents: 37yo [ex-ARF MP] Suren Manukyan and 25yo Armen K. We will not reveal the identities of other accomplices for now.

During the kidnapping process, the perpetrators changed their vehicles prior to each step. The victim was blindfolded and driven to another location through rural roads. They proceeded to change the vehicles and used one registered under perpetrator Suren Manukyan's father-in-law.

In village Tsater, they had already rented a house from a landlord to imprison the victim. Someone was monitoring him 24/7. The kidnappers wanted the family to use cryptocurrency for ransom.

That wasn't a barrier for us. We quickly learned the identity of the crypto-wallet owner. He was one of the suspects arrested by Iranian police.

The kidnappers had asked the family to pay $3m in crypto but they negotiated it down to $200,000 in small installments. They proceeded to pay $20,000. The kidnappers agreed to release the victim. They used a Hyundai Sonata belonging to one of their friends to pick up the victim from Tsater. On their way, they made a pitstop at a local convenience shop [faces recorded by CCTV].

They transported the victim from Tsater to a rural area in Hovk, where they released him on the sidewalk. They inform the family about the location, after which the victim was found and rescued.

By August 11 we had all the information necessary to act. Our agents used an undercover vehicle to [pull over](https://youtu.be/xz-eTph0LQQ?t=578) and arrest the kidnappers. [Yes, their arms were twisted 360° al-la-NSS.]

The investigation continues to identify other possible members in Iran. We appreciate the support of our international colleagues. //

[watch,](https://youtu.be/xz-eTph0LQQ) [read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090919.html) [read,](https://www.facebook.com/freedemocrat/posts/pfbid04P2aTqEEA15t5SbfYQEjnuU7xK3sVS75vPS9pcQ7v6YtKJ6aMawk7qFHCmY6vULnl) [read,](https://iravunk.com/?p=233179&l=am)

update: authorities have arrested 9 suspects accused of using Telegram and crypto-wallets to sell narcotics and launder money

Context in [August 4](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/wg7mr5/your_thursday_news_digest_from_armenia_aug42022/), [July 11](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/vwxa22/jul112022_your_monday_news_digest_from_armenia/), and [July 8](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/vujhcn/jul82022_news_armenia_talks_northsouth_trade_w_us/) digests.

Authorities: We concluded the investigation of the group that trafficked narcotics and laundered money. A young couple from Yerevan organized and led the group from April 2020 to January 2022.

They created Telegram channels including the page named [redacted], where they advertised various types of narcotics and purchasing instructions.

To sell the narcotics, they would hide the bags in secret locations and share the coordinates with the buyers upon receiving the payments.

The business was doing great, so they hired more accomplices, accountants, and Telegram page operators. They also created a group chat for the members nicknamed Drake Carleone, Tiin, Kali, Таня, PON, etc.

On January 6, one of them received instructions to visit the "office" in Aygedzor district to pick up 28 bags of marijuana. He was instructed to leave one of them at the secret location in the Zeytun district. He was arrested at the scene.

A house rented by the group in Jrvezh (Kotayk) was raided and more narcotics were found.

The group was accepting payments via Dash cryptocurrency. They would usually generate and provide a one-time address for each transaction. Last year they made ֏30.5m via Dash. The coins were exchanged for real cash with the help of "CryptocellerArmenia" and "Armbitcoinbot" pages. //

[read,](https://factor.am/546240.html)

today is the 32nd anniversary of Independence Declaration

Pashinyan: The declaration, adopted by the [Supreme Council](https://youtu.be/KClt-aLvyPs?t=8) in 1990, states that the Armenian CCP is beginning the process of establishing an independent state. That process de jure ended with the independence referendum of 1991 and the international recognition of Armenia.

De facto, however, that process continues, not because we don't have independence, but because independence is like health, you have to take care of it every day.

The government is fighting for the independence of Armenia every day. Independence is security for us, but the international procedures ensuring it are cracking before our eyes, and one of these first cracks was unfortunately reflected in Nagorno Karabakh.

Independence means having normal relations with neighbors. We have excellent relations with some, but there is no progress with others because they demand a very high price from us, or they think that we demand a very high price from them.

Independence is firm allied relations for us, but allies are not always allies of you, but of those who ally against you.

Independence is confrontation, and for the sake of our independence and statehood, we must have a will to confront ourselves, our history, and our worldview.

Independence is a mindset, a state-centered mindset, and its non-existence squanders sovereignty, security, and future.

Independence is freedom, and in our view, people have created an independent state to feel free and secure there.

Independence is education, and as long as every child living in the most remote village does not have the same access to education as it is in the center of the capital, we must yearn for our future.

Independence is a legal procedure, a rule of law, respecting the law and not overturning it should be a mark of superiority.

Independence is like the Parable of the Ten Minas of the Bible, the meaning of which is the following: whoever has, he will be given, whoever doesn’t have, even what he has will be taken from him.

Therefore, let’s have independence, we will have independence. //

[read,](https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1090850.html)

construction of a new residential district is nearing the end in Shurnukh (Syunik)

Several families were relocated after the establishment of the AM-AZ state border passing through the village. The government launched the construction of a new district.

9 houses are almost ready and will come with furniture, with more houses to come soon. Roads and fences are also under construction. The district will have a sewage network with a filtration station, a new electric infrastructure and street lighting, a barn for each house, and land protected by a fence.

The $2.7m project is expected to complete in Q4.

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090853.html)

Armenia and Azerbaijan will hold another border demarcation meeting this month

Deputy PM Mher: It's scheduled for late August. The delegation will meet in Moscow, as planned earlier.

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090883.html)

journalist and political analyst Tatul Hakobyan about having checkpoints on the AM-AZ border

Context: The government wants Armenia and Azerbaijan to have border checkpoints in direction of Yeraskh-Nakhijevan, Sotk-Kelbajar, and Karahunj-Eivazli.

▶︎ Yeraskh-Nakhijevan could connect northern Armenia to Iran and southern Armenia, bypassing the Syunik mountains.

▶︎ Sotk-Kelbajar could allow northern Azerbaijan to connect to Nakhijevan or southern Kelbajar (bypassing Kelbajar mountains), and for Armenians to resume the northern connection to Artsakh.

▶︎ Karahunj-Eivazli could allow southern Azerbaijan to connect to Nakhijevan.

Tatul Hakobyan: Armenia should not be left out of the regional processes. After the 1990s victory, we paid the price by finding ourselves under a blockade. Today we must not remain under the same blockade. Armenia's roads must be made accessible to every neighboring country.

Azerbaijan obviously prefers a "corridor" similar to Lachin. Aliyev's statements about a "corridor" are aimed at primarily Russia, which controls the Lachin corridor.

Armenia has agreed to resume the railway link built in the 1930s and plundered in the 2000s. It will reconnect Yerevan-Nakhijevan-Meghri-Baku-Russia. Armenia also agrees to allow Azeirs to use an automobile road along the River Araks, as long as the traffic is accompanied by Russian convoys and Armenian customs agents greet the visitors. Azerbaijan is attempting to achieve more.

Reporter: What will Russia's stance be? Will they pressure Armenia to give a road preferred by Azerbaijan, or the other way around?

Tatul Hakobyan: Sadly, Armenian political analysts are still basing their calculations on personal desires and not facts. Some of us are still making this mistake. We haven't yet realized that we aren't dealing with Azerbaijan of the 1990s. Today's Azerbaijan is a lot more independent, can say "no" to Turkey, can sign an "anti-Russian" agreement with the EU, and can speak with Russia as its equal, unlike Armenia.

In the '90s Armenia had an advantage: we were Russia's only true strategic ally. At the time Russia had difficult relations with Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, and competitive relations with Iran. But today, even when it comes to Georgia, they have decent or improving relations.

Russia of course always makes concessions at Armenia's expense, but we have ourselves to blame for this. Russia could pressure Armenia to make concessions to Azerbaijan, but it has limits, and that limit is when the ordinary Armenian public begins to doubt the Armenian-Russian friendship. I doubt Russia will apply heavy pressure on Armenia in this situation. //

Turkish MFA Chavushoglu: Our special envoys have met on several occasions in an attempt to normalize the relations. After Azerbaijan's victory in 2020, we began taking steps to establish peace in the region. We took confidence-building steps such as the resumption of air traffic, and certain steps relating to trade.

We can have true peace in the region when Armenia and Azerbaijan sign a comprehensive peace agreement. There is also the Zangezur corridor. Armenia feels anxious about it. Brother, it's in the Nov. 9 tripartite agreement co-signed by Russia. You tell us wheater you really want peace in the region or not. //

[read,](https://factor.am/546069.html) [watch,](https://youtu.be/F-f37nCKz50) [read,](https://www.ermenihaber.am/am/news/2022/08/23/%D5%80%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%BD%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%B6-%D5%89%D5%A1%D5%BE%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B7%D6%85%D5%B2%D5%AC%D5%B8%D6%82/236047) [read,](https://factor.am/546156.html)

the new Lachin Corridor road will have the same legal status as the one being replaced

Artsakh parliament parties met the head of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. The latter explained how the new corridor will work: the new road will have the same legal status as a corridor, it will have the same security mechanisms, a 5km security buffer zone, and peacekeeping checkpoints.

The peacekeepers said they have made the necessary conclusions after Azerbaijan's early-August attacks in Lachin, and will take steps to prevent the repetition of events.

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090877.html)

Artsakh minister accuses "wannabe patriots" of inflaming the situation in soon-to-be-evacuated Aghavno and Berdzor, and causing serious damage to critical infrastructure in Artsakh

Infrastructure Minister Hayk Khanumyan had earlier urged the residents not to set their homes or other infrastructure on fire before leaving. Khanumyan noted that after shifting the Lachin Corridor south, Azerbaijan will lose control of several villages, and that the same could happen to Aghavno in the future.

Khanumyan: Since I see a lot of disinformation nowadays, here are some facts about what happened in Berdzor and Aghavno:

▶︎ Aghavno was disconnected from Berdzor's electric station in mid-August. Aghavno and Berdzor began receiving electricity from Stepanakert, but a few days later, the fire destroyed the electric poles and the newly wired cables.

▶︎ Someone stole the oil at Berdzor's electrical station.

▶︎ The fire in Berdzor poses a serious threat to the high voltage power lines traveling from Armenia to Artsakh.

▶︎ Artsakh went offline after someone plundered the internet cables in Aghavno.

▶︎ Communication towers were looted and destroyed.

The state agencies have more information than the couch activists on Facebook. There is a reason we were urging you not to cause any fires and destruction.

Apparently, some activist-deserter can take a taxi to visit Aghavno or Berdzor, convince the locals to set the infrastructure on fire, leave the village, then call himself a bigger patriot than the state apparatus employees who are tasked with ensuring the uninterrupted operation of infrastructures. Your lack of ability to analyze circumstances has turned you into an agent of the information war against the state agencies. //

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090891.html) [read,](https://www.facebook.com/hayk.khanumyan)

infrastructure projects are underway in Armenia & Artsakh

▶︎ Artsakh president Arayik attended the opening ceremony of a new sports playground built in the village Khantsk with the help of Ապագա սերունդներ humanitarian org. The government will asphalt the road leading to the village. [Read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090858.html)

▶︎ ֏544m construction of new kindergartens begin in Karnut and Bayandur villages of Akhuryan municipality in Shirak, while the construction of the one in Jrarat launched last year. [Read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090879.html)

▶︎ The road leading to Katnajur (Lori) has been rebuilt with new asphalt and safer pedestrian crosswalks. It's the first renovation since the 1980s, said the residents. [Photo,](https://factor.am/546141.html)

▶︎ The construction of the $3.6m Hovhannes Tumanyan school is underway in Alaverdi. They are rebuilding it from the ground up, with modern standards. It will have labs, robotics rooms, and elevators. [Read,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/242663)

new aid program in Artsakh

Artsakh government will distribute ֏30,000 back-to-school gifts to the children of soldiers who died in the war. The school resumes on September 1.

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090882.html) [more about back to school shopping in Yerevan,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/242649)

the infrastructure surrounding Surmalu mall blast is gradually reopening for public

Part of Christopher St. will reopen to the public with some restrictions. The road has been closed since August 14. The nearby Petak mall has reopened its doors.

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090854.html) [read,](https://factor.am/546094.html)

Armenia's foreign and internal debt amid the devaluation of the dollar

QP MP Gevorg Papoyan: State debt -֏363b or -8.2%. Government's debt -֏366b or -8.7%. Government's foreign debt -֏585b or -19.7%. Government's internal debt +֏219b or +17.7%. Պարտքի միջին տոկոսադրույքը աճել է 1%-ով՝ դառնալով 5,68%: Պարտքի 25,4%-ը ներքին պարտքն է, 74,6%-ը՝ արտաքին: //

Armenia's debt in dollars was $9.9b in July, up 8.1% from January.

[read,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/242619) [read,](https://factor.am/546289.html)

Human Rights Ombudsman challenges the law that bars the agents of National Security Services from joining trade unions and religious sects

Ombudsman: Under the existing law, cops, nat-sec employees, soldiers, prosecutors, and judges cannot join trade unions. NSS agents also cannot join religious groups, while soldiers cannot form religious associations.

The ban on trade unions is unjustified for the aforementioned job descriptions, and deprives workers of an important means of collective protection of their rights.

Similarly, NSS agents and soldiers should be allowed to join or form religious groups.

Back in 2020, the Constitutional Court struck down part of the law that prohibited police officers from joining religious groups. We are challenging the rest. //

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090878.html)

Turkey doubles oil imports from Russia, filling EU void

They have so far imported 200,000 bpd of oil this year, up from last year's 98,000. The two countries are set for broader cooperation in business and especially energy trade in the face of western sanctions against Moscow.

... U.S. threatens to sanction several Turkish companies for close cooperation with Russia

US officials sent warning letters directly to Turkish businesses accused of doing business with the sanctioned Russian companies.

[read,](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/turkey-doubles-russian-oil-imports-filling-eu-void-2022-08-22/) [read,](https://www.ermenihaber.am/am/news/2022/08/23/%D4%B9%D5%B8%D6%82%D6%80%D6%84%D5%AB%D5%A1-%D4%B1%D5%84%D5%86/236033)

ANCA calls on Congress to investigate Biden Administration’s effective aid blockade on Artsakh

ANCA'a Raffi Hamparian: We sent letters to Congress members, calling for inquiries into the Biden Administration's effective blockade on humanitarian aid to Armenian families of Artsakh - an at-risk population facing aggression, ethnic cleansing, obstruction of access to food.

Azerbaijani government wants to see Artsakh’s Armenians starved out of existence, while the Biden Administration has sent almost no humanitarian assistance at all to help them. America must not be complicit in the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh by Azerbaijan.

We have the following questions:

▶︎ What specific actions has the Biden Administration taken to help at-risk Armenians living within Nagorno-Karabakh?

▶︎ What specific plans does the Biden Administration have to help at-risk Armenians living within Nagorno-Karabakh?

▶︎ Has the Biden Administration conducted a needs assessment of the humanitarian crisis facing the Armenian population of Artsakh?

▶︎ What budget range does the Biden Administration consider sufficient and appropriate to address the humanitarian crisis facing the Armenian population of Artsakh?

[read,](https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1090866.html) [ANCA petition,](https://marchtojustice.org/fy2023aid/issue-form)

Дни российского кино

Russian Cinema Days will be held in Armenia with a free movie screening. Online media site ivi.tv is the organizer. Some Russian movies will be translated into Armenian.

The site offers the Armenian audience a [page](https://www.ivi.tv/collections/rffam) with free modern Russian films.

Organizer: We are happy to introduce the Armenian audience to various genres of modern Russian cinema. The Armenian and Russian movie industry has many points of contact, and many talented directors, actors, and producers with Armenian roots work in Russian cinema. We think Armenians will like our Originals. //

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090861.html)

anti-corruption: don't go to work but get paid, don't go to school but get a diploma

SSS: We audited the State Pedagogical University and found that...

▶︎ 25 employees continued to receive salaries even though they weren't in the country.

▶︎ 12 students received diplomas without attending classes, because they were abroad.

▶︎ The fuel expenditure records were falsified.

▶︎ The former rector gave himself bonuses without the approval of the Board of Trustees.

The findings are sent to prosecutors and ACC to investigate the officials. //

[read,](https://factor.am/546280.html)

hundreds of Yerevan municipality officials were retrained with the help of UN

The goal was to retrain district administrators, accountants, and treasurers with skills relevant to their fields, digital and teamwork skills.

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090910.html) [watch,](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1148387109082903)

լավ տղա էս, ապե՞

[Yerevan, 2022.](https://youtu.be/M5pZBfeEf7w)

European Women's Chess Championship is underway

Several Armenian players are competing. European champion Elina Danielyan is so far one of the leaders after winning all 3 matches.

Lilith Mkrtchyan is trailing behind the leaders by 0.5 points.

[read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090849.html)

Yerevanyan Lake was cleaned "for the first time in 40 years" | VIDEO

A large-scale cleanup operation began in March 2022 on the shores of "forever-abandoned" Yerevanyan Lake. Tractors are removing trash submerged in shore mud. The lake surface is also visibly cleaner.

It's part of the plan to turn the western shore into a 3-hectare leisure zone with a promenade. The cleanup will require another several months. There will be a new irrigation network, sports areas, bike lanes, alleys, and lighting.

They are also removing most of the reed that grows on the shores. Some quantities will be preserved for the local fish and bird population and other "filtration" reasons. Too much is not good. 5 hectares of reed that grew on trash have already been removed.

The artificial lake was created in 1970. It is used for irrigation in Yerevan. The city and the government plan to clean not only the lake, but also the Hrazdan gorge. The latter will likely receive a special nature status, enabling more resources to combat pollution.

Hrazdan River has level-5 pollution. The construction of the planned sewage filtration station on the Getar-Hrazdan junction will improve Hrazdan quality, which pours into Yerevanyan Lake. Preventing sewage from accessing Yerevanyan is necessary for a leisure zone, otherwise, visitors will smell the shit.

Nearby residents are happy about the cleanup efforts. "It will smell better and we'll have fewer mosquitoes," said one woman.

[watch,](https://youtu.be/tnAfJ3ciRAE) [read,](https://factor.am/546221.html)

Nikol Pashinyan must resign: another opposition party launches a street protest

Edgar Ghazinyan, a former ranking HHK official and an associate of Constitutional Court's former president Hrayr Tovmasyan, held a 2,000-strong rally in Republic Square on Tuesday. The goal is the same: Pashinyan must resign. Arthur Vanetsyan expressed his support.

Analyst Antinyan: Edgar Ghazinyan is making the same mistakes. I feel so sorry for this young man. His protest is dead-on-arrival. He is already giving deadlines when Pashinyan will resign, without explaining how. It will make his own situation more difficult later. He has no resources.

Arthur Vanetsyan made a huge mistake by joining the former regime. He should have protested separately. What Vanetsyan is missing is political experience.

You need the opposition to be better than the government to achieve a change, but today's opposition is so unserious and desperate to bring back the old values, they fail to rally the public. //

When asked about the idea to launch this movement, Ghazinyan said he discussed it with Serj, Kocharyan, ARF, Vazgen Manukyan, and others, but was unable to reach Levon Ter-Petrosyan. He is willing to meet and discuss the demands with Pashinyan.

Ghazinyan does not agree that the recent ARF-led rallies were a failure. It helped generate interest and allowed people to express their views, said Ghazinyan. He does not plan to shut down the streets.

[read,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/242643) [read,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/242647) [read,](https://youtu.be/HeFOf0Xix0Q)

Prime Minister's Swimming Cup kicks off in Lake Sevan | VIDEO

Last year Pashinyan announced the creation of a new sports tournament to promote a healthy lifestyle in Armenia. Amateurs compete in swimming, wiff waff, running, and cycling.

Hundreds of amateurs swimmers including dozens of foreigners, under the supervision of professionals, competed in Lake Sevan near Shoghakat beaches. They were divided into two age groups and genders.

The participants rushed from the beach and swam 25 meters forward before making a turn into a lane to swim another 1-1.5 kilometers.

Pashinyan issued medals to the top 3, while the top 10 participants received monetary prizes (֏1m, ֏600k, ֏400k, etc.)

Women's champions were Ani Avetisyan (18-35) and Margarita Khortikyan (35+). Men's champions were Mkrtich Voskanyan and Andranik Khachatryan.

Ani Avetisyan: Շատ ոգևորված եմ և խորհուրդ եմ տալիս բոլորին մասնակցել. առաջինը նման մրցաշարը շատ մեծ մոտիվացիայի աղբյուր է և երկրորդ՝ առողջ ապրելակերպ է: //

The eldest participants 73yo Hasmik Qanqanyan and 81yo Hakob Tatujanyan received special awards and cash. A special award was also designated for the best foreigners: Yulia Naumova and Dmitri Shamilov.

Pashinyan: When we decided to organize this, we were concerned that very few people would decide to take part, but thankfully hundreds have shown up. One of the goals is to attract attention to Lake Sevan and its tourism potential. //

[watch them swim,](https://youtu.be/zP-63DInYxo) [read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090909.html) [read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090871.html) [read,](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1090881.html)

in case you missed

Yesterday's news in English, русский (by Impossible-Ad-). Archive by Armeniapedia. Donate to Armenia & Artsakh here

The accused are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law, even if they "appear" guilty.

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/ww01in/tuesday_aug232022_your_daily_news_summary_from/