Director of Fifth Channel TV: “We’re ready to be arrested, and we’ll continue to work as a platform for free speech”

In an interview with 168.am, Director of Fifth Channel TV Company Harutyun Harutyunyan talked about the arrest of owner of the television company Armen Tavadyan and the developing events.

“The video released by the Police of Armenia clearly showed that the police had inserted a character in the video and that there was going to be a sequel, and it was shown soon enough. It was planned so that there would be a development later. I was almost certain that they were going to summon Armen Tavadyan, who has said several times that he is a friend of Robert Kocharyan and is working actively for his friend’s release from prison. This was a video that was made through dirty propaganda tricks. It was so obvious, and it was a sloppy job. They didn’t even have a screenwriter to make a normal video,” Harutyun Harutyunyan said, adding that this is also a blow to Fifth Channel television company.

“They have declared a platform for free speech as their enemy and want to repress it. Yes, I view this as repression against Fifth Channel. This is under Nikol Pashinyan’s instruction. If it isn’t an instruction, he has to make a statement on this,” the TV company’s director said.

When asked what developments are expected in regard to the case of Armen Tavadyan, Harutyun Harutyunyan said the following:

“The law-enforcement authorities will do as Nikol Pashinyan says. That’s the way it is now. If he assigns courts to sentence him, the courts will rule to sentence him. If he decides that Armen Tavadyan should be released with a signature to not leave the country, and he won’t make that decision, the courts will release Armen Tavadyan with a signature. Today, all decisions are made by one person. There is no such thing as a law-enforcement system. This is clear to see. One person makes decisions, and the law-enforcement authorities fulfill his every whim. The arrest of Armen Tavadyan is clearly an order.”

At the end, Harutyun Harutyunyan stated that the members of the staff at Fifth Channel are in a great mood.

“We’re doing a great job and have no problems. We’re ready to be arrested. We’ll keep working until the law-enforcement authorities visit us, and then we’ll decide what to do. However, it’s safe to say that nothing has changed. We’ll continue to work as a platform for free speech. We’re also considering making a statement addressed to the international law-defense organizations, if necessary, but we won’t address a statement to local organizations since there are no more local law-defense organizations after the revolution. We’re considering it, but I’m certain that we’ll issue a statement,” the director of the television company concluded.

Watch 168.am’s video for details