Armenia moving toward rigid authoritarianism, journalist says

The editorial staff of AntiFake.am media outlet staged a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan on Friday, accusing the Armenian authorities of intensifying pressure on critical media and suppressing dissent through politically motivated arrests.

Speaking at the rally, AntiFake journalist David Fidanyan said the recent detention of opposition Imnemnimi podcast co-hosts Vazgen Saghatelyan and Narek Samsonyan was aimed at neutralizing both the podcast and the news outlet.

“Our goal is to raise awareness so that not only the United States but the entire international community understands that a rigid authoritarian system is being formed in Armenia, one that no longer tolerates dissent,” Fidanyan said.

He claimed that individuals in Armenia are being jailed for sharp criticism expressed during online broadcasts and for social media posts. “This is a classic authoritarian regime established under [Prime Minister] Pashinyan, aimed at maintaining power,” he said.

Fidanyan added that if the international community wants Armenians to maintain faith in democratic values, it should respond to crackdown on free speech in the country. “Democratic principles should be valued above what is called Realpolitik,” he said.

Commenting on his own detention earlier in November, Fidanyan said authorities accused him of obstructing justice. “According to their wording, I opened the door late,” he said.

Asked whether the renewed arrests of Saghatelyan and Samsonyan were intended not only to curb the Imnemnimi podcast but also to paralyze AntiFake’s operation, Fidanyan said the first arrests already had that objective.

“They saw that nothing was achieved, so this time they expanded the scope, targetting the entire outlet. But, fortunately for us and our followers, AntiFake has not been paralyzed and will not be,” he said.

The AntiFake team arrived at the U.S. Embassy to deliver a message from Samsonyan’s wife, along with documents the outlet says substantiate its concerns.