Murad Papazian, Nikol Pashinyan had tough conversation in Paris - ARF

ArmInfo. On February 21, on the occasion of the reburial ceremony of the hero of the French Resistance Movement Missak Manouchian and his wife M‚lin‚e in the French Pantheon, at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, a meeting was held between Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and co-chairs of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF) Murad Papzian and Ara  Toranian.

This was reported by the press service of the ARF -Dashnaktsutyun party.

President Macron began the conversation by explaining the need for  contacts between the Prime Minister of Armenia and representatives of  the Armenian community in France, even if differences could separate  them. President Macron highly appreciated the work done by Murad  Papazian and Ara Toranian for Armenia. He emphasized their  determination to defend Armenia and their ability to unite the  Armenian community of France, the French government and all political  players.

Following the remarks of French President, Murad Papazian welcomed  this initiative. Addressing Nikol Pashinyan, the CCAF co-chair  condemned the fact that he was denied entry into Armenia, which was  eventually overturned by the Armenian judicial system. Murad Papazian  criticized Nikol Pashinyan for making this deeply undemocratic and  divisive decision. Murad Papazian pointed out his right to express  disagreement with Nikol Pashinyan's policies within the framework of  free and democratic debate.  Nikol Pashinyan, clearly irritated by  this lesson in democracy, became angry and criticized Murad Papazian  for discussing this topic in the presence of the French President.

Murad Papazian recalled that the President of France is originated  this initiative and, probably, the President of France is the only  person who could organize this dialogue.

Even more angry at this response, Nikol Pashinyan said that he banned  Murad Papazian from entering Armenia because he organized a  demonstration against him in Paris on June 1, 2021. This, as noted in  the ARF report, is an unfounded allegation repeatedly disseminated by  the office of the Prime Minister of Armenia and has always been  refuted by Murad Papazian. However, during that conversation, Nikol  Pashinyan repeated this accusation, and Murad Papazian once again  rejected it, at the same time being surprised that the Armenian  special services did not present this accusation in court.  Murad  Papazian also clarified that the right to demonstrate is not  prohibited in a democratic country. He expressed surprise at Nikol  Pashinyan's weak argumentation and the poverty of his statements.  At  the end of the conversation, President Macron stepped aside from the  Prime Minister of Armenia, after which Pashinyan informed Murad  Papazian that the authorities would not appeal the decision to  restore his right to return to Armenia.

On January 22, the Yerevan court ordered the National Security  Service of Armenia to remove data on Murad Papazian and Masis  Abrahamian from the database of foreigners considered undesirable on  the territory of the Republic of Armenia. In July 2022, it became  known that the co-chairman of the Coordination Council of Armenian  Organizations of France (CCAF), a member of the ARF- Dashnaktsuyun  Bureau, Murad Papazian, was banned from entering Armenia. 

On July 14, Papazian arrived in Armenia with his family, but he was  denied entry at the Zvartnots airport on the grounds that he was  included inthe list of undesirable persons.

As reported by the RA government, Papazian was prohibited from  entering Armenia on the basis of Article 8 of the RA Law "On  Foreigners". The reason for the ban, as reported in the press service  of the head of government, was the fact that "Murad Papazian was one  of the organizers of the attack on the motorcade of the delegation  led by the Prime Minister on June 1, 2021 at the Armenian Embassy in  France." "The protesters threw various items at the Prime Minister's  motorcade, and the situation was overcome only as a result of the  intervention of the French police and security forces," explained the  press service of the RA Prime Minister. At the same time, Papazian  announced his intention to restore his infringed rights through the  court. And just two weeks later, on August 1 of the same year, it  became known that Sune Abrahamian, a member of the Dutch ARF youth  union, and Masis Abrahamyin, the chairman of "Hay Dat" of Holland,  were declared persona non grata.