Opposition MP: Authorities building 'no-rules dictatorship' in Armenia

Tigran Abrahamyan, an MP from the opposition Pativ Unem faction, has accused Armenia’s leadership of crackdown on dissent while steering the country toward authoritarianism.

"Under the pretext of constitutional changes demanded by Azerbaijan, the authorities can easily criminalize the activity of political opponents," Abrahamyan wrote on Facebook. "They could define dissent or criticism of government policies as a serious crime."

He further warned that the authorities may seek to legitimize the use of force against any speech or action that disrupts their hold on power.

"While establishing a dictatorship in Armenia, the authorities have effectively adopted a 'no-rules' approach across the board. The ruling regime has unlimited authority and is above the law, while those who are attacked or subjected to violence have only one option – to suffer and face imprisonment,” Abrahamyan added.