'Hostages of Pashinyan regime': MP slams detention of opposition podcasters

Public, political figures and media workers gathered outside a Yerevan court on Friday as the first hearing opened in a criminal case against opposition podcasters Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan, with the court set to consider their pre-trial detention.

Anna Mkrtchyan, an MP from the opposition Pativ Unem faction, told reporters the two men were being held for expressing political views and described them as “hostages” of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s regime.

“Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan are hostages of Nikol’s regime, his gang, simply because they are citizens of the Republic of Armenia. They have committed no criminally punishable act whatsoever. They are imprisoned for expressing a civic position,” she stated.

Samsonyan and Saghatelyan, co-hosts of the Imnemnimi podcast, were detained on November 13, 2025 following a complaint filed by National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan. Prosecutors have charged them with hooliganism under Article 297 of the Criminal Code, alleging the offence was committed by a group using information and communication technologies, after the hosts responded harshly on air to the insults made by Simonyan.

Human rights advocates and opposition figures say the case targets free speech and note that Simonyan’s remarks have not been legally assessed.

Security officers carried out early-morning searches at the podcasters’ homes on November 12, detaining them and barring lawyers from some investigative actions. In addition, investigators searched the offices of Antifake.am media outlet, seizing filming equipment and briefly detaining two journalists, who were later released.

The court is expected to rule on whether Samsonyan and Saghatelyan will remain in custody.