Mother urges impartial probe into church incident

PanARMENIAN.Net - Gayane Minasyan, the mother of Mikayel and David Minasyan, who were involved in the incident at St. Anna Church, described what happened to her sons as a misunderstanding.

“This is a misunderstanding that happened to my children,” she said, according to «Panorama.am ».

She noted that her sons attend church services every Sunday, graduated from school with excellent results, and are currently preparing for university admission.

The mother also said that her children have various health issues.

“I ask for an impartial investigation. Yesterday I published an open letter—give me the opportunity to care for them at home, also as a doctor. I suspect Mikayel may also have pneumonia,” she said.

She emphasized that, even if it may sound immodest, her sons are educated and well-mannered young men, something those who know them can confirm. She also added that she had not been able to meet David that day to give him necessary belongings.

“Everything is visible in the footage—they push him, he falls, then gets up. He is a child; in the scuffle, perhaps… I don’t know. All the footage exists—let there be an impartial investigation,” she said.

She reiterated that her sons have no ties to any political force or figure.

Following the decision to detain 18-year-old David Minasyan for two months, his lawyer Armen Melkonyan stated that the charges have no connection to reality.

“We are now in a process that will not lead our country anywhere good,” he told journalists.

The lawyer stressed that David is a 12th-grade student with no political involvement and strong academic performance.

“Today David was deprived of the opportunity to complete secondary school. In two months, there will be a Last Bell celebration for everyone—but not for David. On whose conscience will this remain?” Melkonyan said.

On March 29, an incident occurred during a liturgy at St. Anna Church in Yerevan. As the prime minister was leaving through a dense crowd, one person told a bodyguard clearing the way, “Don’t look at me like that.” Another individual attempted to strike in the direction of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. He instructed his bodyguards to remain calm. Detentions took place in the churchyard.

After the incident, Pashinyan said that some of those making noise were affiliated with the Republican Party, while others were from the Sasna Tsrer group.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against three individuals, including David’s twin brother Mikayel Minasyan. A preventive measure of a travel restriction has been imposed on him.