Protest in support of political prisoners held outside Yerevan court

The Ajapnyak District Criminal Court of Yerevan will start preliminary hearings in the criminal case against opposition activists Vazgen Saghatelyan and Narek Samsonyan, co-hosts of the Imnemnimi podcast, later on Monday.

Ahead of the hearings, a group of young activists staged a protest outside the court building to express support for the two men. They held posters featuring their photos and reading "Freedom to political prisoners!".

Vazgen Saghatelyan and Narek Samsonyan were given two-month pretrial detention on 22 March on charges of hooliganism after using slur language to criticize Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his government for their plans to make territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. If found guilty, they could face up to five years in prison.