Russian lawmakers to raise Karapetyan case with Armenian speaker

Russian State Duma deputies have spoken out in defence of businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, who is facing criminal charges in Armenia.

The New People faction said the case appears politically motivated. Vice Speaker Vladislav Davankov said the situation is deeply concerning and called for a fair and transparent investigation, Russian media reported.

Lawmakers plan to raise the issue during an upcoming meeting with Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan, who is expected to visit Russia.

According to NTV, Karapetyan was arrested in 2025 on charges related to alleged calls to overthrow the government, following his public support for the Armenian Apostolic Church. After his arrest, Armenian authorities also began nationalizing his key asset, Electric Networks of Armenia, citing alleged violations.