Yerevan court upholds release of Vazgen Saghatelyan and Narek Samsonyan

Judge Arman Hovhannisyan of Yerevan’s Criminal Court on Monday upheld the release of opposition activists Vazgen Saghatelyan and Narek Samsonyan, denying the prosecutors’ motion to re-arrest them for three months.

The activists, who co-host the Imnemnimi podcast, were released on 21 May, two months after being detained on charges of “hooliganism” for using slur language to criticize Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his government.

“The court has decided to deny the motions and uphold the measures of restraint in place,” the judge announced.