Opposition MP: Pashinyan sidelining opponents ahead of 2026 elections

Opposition lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan has accused Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his government of systematically targeting political opponents in an effort to eliminate competition ahead of the 2026 elections.

“[Prime Minister] Nikol Pashinyan will do everything in his power to keep Samvel Karapetyan behind bars for as long as possible and to derail his initiatives,” he wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

The Pativ Unem faction MP argued that the charges against Karapetyan, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, as well as many other figures, lack legal merit and are part of a broader campaign to neutralize dissent and ensure an unobstructed path for the current government to retain power in 2026.

Abrahamyan stated that the authorities are particularly intolerant of individuals who continue to resist government pressure, especially those who move beyond rhetoric into action.

“The authorities are working to remove anyone standing in their way while securing a smooth and unchallenged path to re-election in 2026,” the MP added.