Armenian rights defender criticizes extension of opposition activist's detention

Armenian human rights defender Zhanna Aleksanyan has condemned a court decision to extend the pre-trial detention of Lidya Mantashyan, an activist of the opposition Holy Struggle movement. Members of the group are accused of plotting a coup in Armenia.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Aleksanyan said the decision reflects a “hostile attitude toward dissenters” and compared the prosecutorial tactics to Soviet-era practices. She argued that authorities were deliberately refusing to release Mantashyan from pre-trial custody to cause distress to supporters.

Aleksanyan also criticized the Prosecutor General’s Office, claiming the case against Mantashyan was being maintained for political rather than legal reasons. She described Mantashyan as having a “bright and innocent” appearance that, in her view, undermined the accusations.