Journalist raises concern over treatment of detained Armenian podcaster

An Armenian journalist has accused the authorities of deliberately creating obstacles to cause maximum harm to detained opposurion podcaster Narek Samsonyan.

Speaking to Panorama.am on Friday, David Fidanyan, a journalist with AntiFake media outlet, said efforts had been made to raise the issue of unlawful detentions with international organisations.

“We have held protests near international organisations and submitted letters regarding the illegal arrests,” he said. “There has been some response from the European Union, but in essence it was a non-committal one.”

Fidanyan was referring to the arrest of Imnemnimi podcast co-hosts Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan, whose detention has drawn criticism from supporters and free speech advocates.

According to Fidanyan, the restrained reaction from Western institutions was unsurprising, arguing thst they were guided less by democratic values and more by geopolitical considerations.

“We see that Western institutions act not on the basis of democratic principles, but according to realpolitik, aimed at advancing their geopolitical objectives in this region,” he said. “To achieve these goals, experience shows they are ready to turn a blind eye to people in Armenia being imprisoned for their speech.”

Samsonyan has been on hunger strike for 15 days. Fidanyan criticised the authorities’ handling of his case, citing his recent transfer to hospital and subsequent return to prison.

“The regime is trying in every possible way to create artificial obstacles in order to inflict maximum damage,” he said.