Armenian analyst says Anna Hakobyan should retain state protection

Armenian political analyst Hakob Badalyan says Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, should remain under state protection following their separation and her departure from the government residence.

In a video posted on social media on Friday morning, Hakobyan said her civil marriage to Pashinyan had ended and that she would move out of the government residence to live in a rented apartment without state security.

Commenting on the announcement, Badalyan said that if the move was not part of a pre-election strategy, it would be a mistake for Hakobyan to forgo official protection.

“Regardless of personal attitudes toward her, this is not a private matter,” he wrote on Facebook. “Due to her personal and de facto public status, she may have access to confidential information.”

Badalyan argued that removing state security could raise concerns over the handling and potential misuse of sensitive information.

He also said there was a risk of public incidents if Hakobyan were to appear without protection, noting that unpredictable or staged provocations could occur and later be politicized.

“In politics, it is difficult to rule out any scenario,” he wrote, adding that in his view Hakobyan should remain under state protection.