Minasyan brothers charged for assault on Pashinyan

The Investigative Committee (IC) of Armenia has charged the twin brothers two days after their detention due to an incident at St. Anna Church.

The incident occurred on the morning of March 29, during Palm Sunday service at St. Anna Church in Yerevan. As Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was leaving the church, passing through the rows of parishioners, one of the Minasyan twin brothers angrily addressed a security guard, saying, "Don't you dare look at me like that."

The other brother, from behind, attempted to strike Pashinyan. To the security guards trying to pull away those displeased with the prime minister's visit, Pashinyan said, "Calm down." Later, three individuals, including the twins, were detained on suspicion of hooliganism and interference with the political activities of an official.

One of the brothers, David Minasyan, is charged with "hooliganism" and "interference with the political or official activities of a public official." His brother Mikael is accused of aiding in the commission of these acts. The third detainee, public figure Gevork Gevorkyan, is charged with organizing hooliganism and interfering with the lawful political or official activities of a public official, according to the IC press service.