Valerik Melikyan

Armenian citizen who graduated from school in Vladikavkaz, the capital city of North Ossetia-Alania. Individual entrepreneur who worked in the catering industry. He was initially charged with hooliganism in the case of the people's gathering in Vladikavkaz on 20 April 2020. Melikyan pleaded guilty. Later, the charge was reclassified to participation in mass riots, but Melikyan refused to admit guilt. At first, he was detained; subsequently, his measure of restriction was changed to the prohibition of certain actions. The case file contains a video where Melikyan picks up and throws a small plastic bottle. According to his lawyer, Melikyan was at the rally by accident. On 12 November 2021, he was sentenced to three and a half years and presumably released in 2023.