Opposition podcaster Vazgen Saghatelyan to remain in detention

The Armenian Criminal Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court’s ruling to keep opposition podcaster Vazgen Saghatelyan in detention, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

“The Criminal Court of Appeals upheld Vazgen Saghatelyan’s detention. Unfortunately, Vazgen will remain in prison,” his lawyer Arsen Babayan said in a statement.

On January 9, a court extended by three months the pre-trial detention of Saghatelyan and fellow podcaster Narek Samsonyan. Samsonyan subsequently went on a hunger strike and, after 15 days, was transferred to hospital where he underwent surgery.

During that time, the Court of Appeals changed Samsonyan’s measure of restraint from detention to house arrest. He was discharged from hospital on Monday and taken to his residence to serve his house arrest.

Criminal proceedings against the Imnemnimi podcast co-hosts were launched following their interview with former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

In a subsequent episode, Saghatelyan read aloud a Facebook post by National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan, a senior member of the ruling Civil Contract party, in which the podcasters were described using an insult.

Saghatelyan responded with a similar remark. The two were later arrested and charged with hooliganism.

They were initially placed in pre-trial detention for two months on November 14, 2025. The detention was extended by a further three months on January 9.

On December 11, 2025, the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists issued a Level 1 alert regarding the detention of Saghatelyan and Samsonyan and the seizure of AntiFake media outlet’s property.

Human rights defenders and a number of political and public figures in Armenia have described the case as politically motivated and aimed at silencing critical voices.