The Armenian politician accused the authorities of trying to delay Karapetyan's arrest.

The new charges against Armenian businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan are aimed at keeping him under arrest by the National Security Service of Armenia (NSS) for as long as possible. Armenian politician and founder of the Enlightened Armenia party Edmond Marukyan told Izvestia on Wednesday, July 16.

On the same day, Karapetyan was charged with money laundering.

"The whole point of the new charges against Samvel Karapetyan is to keep him in law enforcement agencies as much as possible, in particular in the basement of the KGB, as we call it, that is, in the basement of the National Security Service (NSS. — Ed.) of Armenia. He is completely in the hands of the executive branch," Marukyan said.

The politician clarified that all the charges are exclusively political and Karapetyan's case is entering a more difficult phase, showing the desire of the Armenian authorities to seize the businessman's resources and capabilities.

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Karapetyan's detention became known on June 18. He was charged with calling for the seizure of power in Armenia, after which he was arrested for two months.

On July 14, the entrepreneur announced the creation of a new political force in Armenia. He also pointed to his own vision of the country's future.