Analyst: Existence of political prisoners in Armenia a national disgrace

Political analyst Suren Surenyants, the leader of the Democratic Alternative party, has expressed strong support for lawyer Varazdat Harutyunyan’s recent call regarding political prisoners in Armenia.

In a social media post on Monday, Surenyants condemned the existence of political prisoners in the country, calling it both a national disgrace and a dangerous precedent. He stressed that the practice undermines fundamental human rights while also posing grave risks to Armenia’s statehood and democratic future.

“The demand for the release of political prisoners carries two key dimensions.

1. Humanitarian: We cannot tolerate people being imprisoned for their political views. This is a hallmark of authoritarian governments, not democracy.

2. Political: As long as political prisoners remain behind bars, Armenia cannot have lawful, competitive and legitimate electoral processes. If this situation persists, the 2026 elections will be discredited in advance and stripped of any real value,” the analyst stated.

Surenyants urged all opposition forces to rise above partisan rivalries and recognize the broader significance of the issue.

“The demand for the release of political prisoners must become the minimum common platform around which the opposition unites,” he stated.

Surenyants pledged his party's unwavering support for the joint struggle, calling on opposition groups to abandon “meaningless disputes” and instead consolidate around this vital cause.

Earlier, lawyer Varazdat Harutyunyan, who is involved in several political cases, urged opposition forces to set aside differences and take concrete steps to secure the release of political prisoners in Armenia.