LIVE: Opposition podcasters' trial continuous in Yerevan

The Yerevan Criminal Court on Friday continued hearings in the case against Armenian opposition activists Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan, co-hosts of  the Imnemnemi podcast

The proceedings are presided over by judge Manvel Shahverdyan.

On Jan. 9, the court extended the pre-trial detention of Samsonyan and Saghatelyan by three months. Following the ruling, Samsonyan declared a hunger strike. After 15 days without food, he was transferred to hospital, where he underwent surgery. During that period, the Court of Appeals replaced his detention with house arrest. Samsonyan, who was discharged from hospital on Wednesday, was taken to his residence to serve the remainder of the preventive measure under house arrest.

Criminal proceedings against the two podcasters were initiated after they interviewed former Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan. In a subsequent podcast episode, Saghatelyan read aloud a Facebook post by National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan, a board member of the ruling Civil Contract party, who had referred to them as “sons of dogs.”

In response, Saghatelyan made a similar insulting remark. The podcasters were later arrested and charged with hooliganism.

On Nov. 14, 2025, they were placed in pre-trial detention for two months. On Jan. 9, 2026, the detention was extended by a further three months.

On Dec. 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 Samsonyan and Saghatelyan, as well as the seizure of property belonging to AntiFake media outlet.

Human rights advocates and numerous political and public figures have described the case as an attack on freedom of expression aimed at silencing government critics.