"Sardarapat" movement members are outraged by Narek Harutyunyan`s arrest.

Armenian from Diaspora, Narek Hartunyan was detained on these days. Hartunyan’s lawyer says the charges and testimonies are false. He is charged of tax evasion.

He was detained, interrogated and considered guilty in only one day. In this connection Narekatsi Art Center issued an open letter and Sardarapat initiative issued a statement.

Narekatsi center stresses the charity activities Hartunyan fulfilled in Armenia, Artsakh and in other countries. 

Hartunyan received medals from the Armenian leadership for his charity activities in Armenia and Artsakh. He has been engaged in charity since 2004, the whole amount of money spent in charity amounts to USD 3.000.000. Narek Hartunyan and his family published a number of valuable and unique books at their expense. He founded Narekatsi centers in Yerevan and in Shushi, Artsakh. The center sponsors concerts, exhibitions, lectures. The Shushi center provides free of charge art courses for 100 children of vulnerable families. The Center has a free of charge camp which hosts 300 children a year. Narek Hartunyan invested approximately USD 500.000 in the repopulation program of Artsakh and founded Knaravan village in Karabakh. Hartunyan’s family founded Narekatsi folk instruments ensemble which provides free of charge music lessons. 

Narek Hartunyan was actively engaged in charity also in the U.S. where he helped Armenian artists to settle down. 

Sardarapat Initiative says Narek Hartunyan’s case should be considered a special message to the Armenian Diaspora. They say the great number of arbitrariness in this case betrays the essence of the judicial system of Armenia and the fact that it obeys all the orders given from above. 

According to them, Narek Hartunyan’s case should be the last drop in the patience of the Diaspora. The rest will be done by the civil society of Armenia.