International Lawyer Robert Amsterdam Calls Armenian Businessman Samvel Karapetyan’s Case ‘Openly Political’

The legal case against Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan is political, according to Robert Amsterdam, who is an international lawyer specialising in political advocacy. Amsterdam is in Armenia assisting Karapetyan and is waiting for approval from the Chamber of Advocates of Armenia. He spoke at a press conference in Yerevan on Wednesday.

Amsterdam said his team has shown that he is a qualified lawyer in both the United Kingdom and Canada, but Armenian authorities require official documents to confirm this. He added that he cannot attend the next court session, but he plans to go to the courthouse to support Karapetyan. During their visit, Amsterdam and his team are reviewing all elements of the case.

He described the case as “openly political” and compared the judicial investigation to a show trial. According to Amsterdam, the prosecutor general, who is closely linked to the Prime Minister’s Office, opened the case based on a misinterpretation of Karapetyan’s words. Karapetyan has not been released, which Amsterdam called shocking and unacceptable. He said words alone cannot justify criminal charges in a court of law.

Amsterdam explained that political cases involve government influence, while legal cases should remain separate from politics. He criticized the prime minister for misunderstanding Karapetyan’s words and making threatening statements, calling the situation unprecedented in a democratic society.

He also criticized the way authorities tried to detain Karapetyan in public, with many police officers, during religious events. Amsterdam said this treatment is wrong in a society that values faith. He added that Karapetyan could have been kept under house arrest instead of being put in prison, and that his imprisonment is a political action that should not happen in a democratic country.

In addition to the original charges, authorities have added a money-laundering accusation, which Amsterdam said is unrelated to Karapetyan and is meant to give false legitimacy to the case.

Amsterdam said the case will attract international attention and will be raised at organizations such as the United Nations. He said the case is linked to government attempts to influence the Armenian Church, which violates the constitution, the law on religion, and the principle of separation between church and state. He also condemned public attacks on the Catholicos of All Armenians, saying they are unacceptable in a civilized society.

Karapetyan is a well-known Armenian businessman and philanthropist. He is active in supporting the Armenian Apostolic Church and in community projects both in Armenia and abroad. His case has drawn attention because it involves high-level government officials and serious legal accusations.

Karapetyan’s case has sparked concern about political influence over the judiciary, attacks on religious freedom, and the treatment of high-profile figures in Armenia.

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