MP of the NA “Armenia” Faction Mkhitar Zakaryan today, on 16 December, took the oath from the NA tribune, “I swear to fulfill my obligations to the people in good faith, to observe the Constitution and the laws, to promote the protection of the sovereignty and the interests of the Republic of Armenia, to do everything for the preservation of civil solidarity, national and universal values.”

Zakaryan stated that he wanted to make his first call: “Freedom to Arush Arushanyan, Manvel Paramazyan, all our other illegally arrested colleagues.”

Notably, on 10 December, Deputies of the “Armenia” NA Faction Mkhitar Zakaryan and Arthur Sargsyan were released from “Vardashen” penitentiary institution without a court decision.

The decision of the Constitutional Court, in particular, states that a person who does not have the status of a deputy in prison cannot be kept in custody from the moment of acquiring the status of a deputy, except for the cases provided for in Part 2 of Article 96 of the Constitution. From the moment of acquiring the status of a deputy, a person, except for the cases provided for in Part 2 of Article 96 of the Constitution, may not be deprived of liberty other than with the consent of the National Assembly. The CC also registered that paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Article 295 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia corresponds to the Constitution.

Zakaryan has been charged for the fact that in 2016 Having held the position of the head of Meghri Community of Syunik marz of the Republic of Armenia since 23 September, had abused his official powers and committed official falsification.