Armenian opposition MP alleges 'climate of fear' ahead of elections

Opposition lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan claims that the Armenian authorities are carrying out selective political prosecutions to create a “climate of fear” ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections after visiting two detained opposition figures in prison.

In a social media post on Monday, Abrahamyan, who represents the Pativ Unem faction, said he met Khachik Galstyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan at the Armavir Penitentiary.

Galstyan is the secretary-general of the opposition Homeland Party, while Saghatelyan is a co-host of the Imnemnimi podcast.

Abrahamyan said Galstyan “should be in a university classroom instead of prison”, stressing that the detention was politically motivated due to forthcoming elections.

He accused the authorities of targeting individuals who have built a public following through civic activity, saying Saghatelyan and his co-host Narek Samsonyan were targeted because their podcast “has long been a thorn in the government’s side.”

“Freedom to all political prisoners!” Abrahamyan wrote.