Analyst calls for urgent political change in Armenia

Political analyst Suren Surenyants has strongly criticized the recent arrest of a young mother of an 8-month-old baby, calling it a disturbing sign of authoritarianism.

"According to lawyers familiar with the case, the woman should not have been charged at all, let alone detained," he wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

Surenyants argues that using detention as a tool of intimidation against government critics points to a much deeper democratic crisis.

“A judicial system that acts as a weapon against opposition cannot suddenly become humane when it deals with ordinary citizens,” he said. “A country sliding into authoritarianism cannot tolerate dissent in YSU or any other institution."

He warned that tolerating repressive governance leads to systemic abuse of power. “Instead of fighting the consequences, we must eliminate the cause. Armenia urgently needs political change,” Surenyants stressed.