Lawyer: Armenian authorities refuse to accept Gyumri election loss

Constitutional law expert Gohar Meloyan claims that the detention of Vardan Ghukasyan, the opposition mayor of Gyumri, reflects the Armenian authorities’ refusal to accept their defeat in local elections.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Meloyan described the charges against Ghukasyan as “politically motivated”, linking them to his criticism of the government and refusal to cooperate with the ruling team.

Meloyan said the move undermines the democratic will of voters in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city, where the opposition secured victory in local municipal elections earlier this year.

She warned that after the suspension of Ghukasyan’s powers, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party may attempt to install a loyal acting mayor under the local self-government law, aiming to control administrative resources ahead of the June 2026 parliamentary elections.

“The ruling group does not accept the people’s will,” Meloyan wrote, urging Gyumri’s opposition council members to unite and elect a new community leader.