Over the past weekend more than 15 thousand people signed an open letter addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking to revise Levon Hayrapetyan's sentence.
According to the information received by ArmInfo from "Freedom to Levon Hayrapetyan!" Pubic initiative, the letter particularly states that Hayrapetyan deserve well of the Russian state, "Hayrapetyan had great contribution in strengthening of Russian-Armenian relations, he has initiated hundreds of social and beneficial projects. Moreover, in his homeland, Armenia, Hayrapetyan is considered as a hero" the authors of the letter state.
The initiative also states that he was charged under a very questionable accusation. "The affected party in Hayraeyan's case was ex-senator Igor Izmestyev, who serves a life sentence for numerous murders and this is nonsense to charge a person basin on a statement of a murderer. However, Hayrapetayn was sentenced for a 4-year term in colony. The possibility of conditional sentence was not even considered taking into account his illness, which progresses day by day. Hayrapetyan needs daily medical care, and he will not survive in prison having such health. We ask your assistance in revising Levon Hayrapetyan's sentence", the members of the initiative stated.
To recall, on April 14 Zamoskvoretski District Court of Moscow sentenced businessman Levon Hayrapetyan to 4 years in general regime penal colony and found him guilty in misappropriation of 700 thsd USD received from ex-senator of Bashkiria Igor Izmestyev's mother. The court resolved that in spring of 2010 Hayrapetyan mislead Tamara Izmestyeva promising a softer sentence for her son in exchange for a big amount of money. The court also ordered 20.8 mln Rubles payment to the affected party. Levon Hayrapetyan does not admit the fault.