Armen Ashotyan, Deputy Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, who is facing political persecution, issues a warning to political prisoners under house arrest.
“In the context of the periodic intensification of repression raging in Armenia, house arrest is being used as a means of partial relaxation in certain illegal cases.
For example, in recent days, a number of political prisoners have been transferred to house arrest, including today Archbishop Michael.
Also, from personal experience, I would like to remind you: house arrest is not only a deprivation of liberty, but, according to the same Criminal Code, its duration is equivalent to imprisonment.
During house arrest, an electronic “bracelet” is attached to the prisoner’s leg or arm, and a corresponding “mother device” is installed at home.
And in the case of Armenia, which is turning into a digital concentration camp, there is no doubt that these devices are being used for illegal wiretapping.
I repeatedly raised the danger of such wiretapping during court hearings, demanding an independent examination of the devices, but to no avail. Not a single competent authority has responded to my legal and justified demand.
Motivated: Given the primacy of my privacy, freedom of political activity, and the protection of attorney confidentiality, I was forced to resort to a life hack: when necessary, placing the “bracelet” in a bucket of water, relying on the poor conductivity of water.
I share this life hack, calling on all my fellow activists under house arrest to be vigilant.
Freedom for all political prisoners.