Armenian opposition activists' detention appealed

The lawyers of opposition activists Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan have appealed their pre-trial detention.

The two men, who co-host the Imnemnimi podcast, were arrested in Yerevan in late March for using slur language against Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his regime. They have been charged with “online hooliganism” and remanded in pre-trial custody for two months.

“We’ve appealed against the court order to detain our clients, political prisoners Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan, for two months,” lawyer Ruben Melikyan said on Friday, insisting their detention was politically motivated.