Armen Melkonyan, lawyer for Goris Mayor Arush Arushanyan, told Hetq that the arrest of his client earlier today on charges of organizing an illegal rally is baseless.

Arushanyan is charged with organizing a rally in Goris to protest the scheduled visit today of Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan.

Melkonyan questioned the legality of Arushanyan’s arrest since the ban on holding rallies under martial law has been lifted.

Pashinyan left for Syunik Province today to visit towns along the new border with Azerbaijan and to meet with residents who believe the government isn’t doing enough to ensure their security. They are also upset over the way the new border is being demarcated, arguing that their lands are being handed over to Azerbaijan.

Pashinyan was scheduled to visit Goris, Kapan and Kajaran.  He only made it to Sisian. He and his entourage the returned to Yerevan after learning that residents in these towns had blocked the roads to protest his visit.