- The Armenian Weekly - https://armenianweekly.com -

‘The Bringer of Bread’ Released from Pre-Trial Detention

YEREVAN (A.W.)—Artur Sargsyan, nicknamed “the bringer of bread,” has been freed from pre-trial detention after staging a hunger strike for more than three weeks.

Sargsyan being detained

Sargsyan was arrested in Aug. 2016 and released in December for taking food to members of the armed Sasna Tsrer group who had seized a Yerevan police station. Sargsyan was arrested again on Feb. 9 for not reporting to a case hearing after being summoned, and had been on a hunger strike in a prison hospital ever since.

Several political figures in Armenia petitioned the Prosecutor General saying they would guarantee that Sargsyan would not flee and would report to a future hearing if released. According to Hetq, Members of Parliament from the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), Armenian National Congress , Rule of Law (OY), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), and Heritage Party signed the petition.

It was also reported that several of the parliamentarians posted an unspecified amount as bail. After being released, Sargsyan was transferred to the Armenia Medical Centerto be treated.