Narek Samsonyan faces critical health risk on 14th day of hunger strike, doctor warns

The health of detained Armenian opposition podcaster Narek Samsonyan has entered a critical phase on the 14th day of his hunger strike, with a doctor warning that sudden and severe deterioration in heart and respiratory function could occur at any moment.

Dr. Kate Tairyan said Samsonyan’s condition has crossed a dangerous threshold after two weeks without food or nutritional supplements, raising the risk of irreversible tissue damage and life-threatening complications, including cardiac arrest.

No detailed, independent medical assessment of Samsonyan’s condition has been made public, leaving unanswered questions about his vital signs and short-term risks.

The doctor warned that symptoms at this stage typically intensify and may include extreme weakness, dizziness, nausea, chest and abdominal pain, muscle pain, episodes of loss of consciousness and neurological complications.

Lawyers and human rights groups describe Samsonyan as a political prisoner and say his prosecution is politically motivated.