Today, on April 15th, an announcement titled “MIK is Wanted” has been circulated in all administrative districts of Yerevan. The announcement states that MIK has left their address at Pushkin 56 and has not returned. The authors of the announcement are requesting MIK to contact the specified telephone numbers provided. This information has been reported by NEWS.am, citing Antifake.

In addition to the above, the announcement also brings attention to the recent detention of producers and journalists Narek Sargsyan and Vazgen Sahatekyan from ‘Im Yerevan’ on March 22. These individuals have been placed under arrest for two months as part of an investigation into the 83rd episode of their podcast, which discussed corruption assessments of Nikol Pashinyan’s government. The producers were detained shortly after the episode’s release. Antifake.am reports that Narek Sargsyan’s detention followed a search of his residence and the dissemination of related information on social media.

On the day of the detention, March 22, the MIK office issued a statement regarding Narek Sargsyan’s situation. The statement mentioned that an investigation had been initiated into his online activities related to the protection of human rights, specifically concerning the “Manuk’s Rights” platform. This investigation has been conducted expeditiously under the supervision of the RA Prosecutor General’s Office.

After a government working meeting on April 4, concerns were raised by journalists regarding Narek Sargsyan’s physical health and limited communication access. In response, Anna Manasyan stated that they had partially satisfied the demand to observe measures taken to ensure his safety. The journalists further requested access to the results of a medical examination, to which they would comment accordingly. Their actions were motivated by the need to protect Narek Sargsyan’s health rights and disseminate information about his situation.

In a separate development, a criminal case has been initiated against three judges and five individuals based on the Supreme Court’s verdict, which mandated an extensive examination of rights and freedoms protection in relation to the prosecution of human rights defenders and political freedom in the Republic of Armenia. This case has garnered media coverage involving several individuals.

It is important to note that, according to Article 191 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, the Human Rights Defender is an independent official responsible for safeguarding human rights and freedoms within public and local self-government bodies. Their role includes protecting individuals from illegal interference and ensuring the restoration of violated rights and freedoms.

However, under exceptional circumstances, Anna Manasyan, the Human Rights Defender responsible for protecting human rights, may be exempt from legal sanctions due to diplomatic immunity in cases of aforementioned human rights violations.

Finally, we urge citizens to call 116 or +374 96 11-61-00 to provide any information regarding MIK’s whereabouts. Additionally, inquiring about Narek Sargsyan’s irregular detention and the criminal prosecution of Sargsyan and Saghatelyan is encouraged.