Serzh Sargsyan inquired after freedom fighter's health
One of the journalists of A1+ Company has talked today with freedom fighter Smbat Hakobyan who was brutally beaten on Abovyan street during a match on Sept. 21. Smbat Hakobyan talked to us from Surb Grigor Lusavorich hospital where he was rushed after the attack. Earlier today it became known that Serzh Sargsyan had telephoned the Karabakh war veteran to inquire after his health. Smbat Hakobyan said he had not talked to Serzh Sargsyan personally. “He called the hospital on the day of beating, a nurse told me saying Serzh Sargsyan was concerned about my health,” he said. Surb Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center is headed by Serzh Sargsyan's in-law Ara Minasyan who is the chief physician of the hospital. Speaking about the criminal case started in connection with the attack as well as the promise of Deputy Police Chief Ashot Karapetyan that they would find the assailants within three hours, Mr Hakobyan said, “I have known [Chief of the Armenian Police] Vladimir Hakobyan since the 80s. I trust our police and I do believe that they will do everything to disclose the people who beat me.” As for Ruben Hakobyan’s statement that Hakobyan was carrying out a political order by blaming the beating on him, the freedom fighter said, “His statement is surprising in the sense that political orders are usually issued against oppositionists while Ruben Hayrapetyan is not an oppositionist. I am convinced that I was beaten up for my political views and activities.”
