Pashinyan afraid of losing power, tries to silence dissent, opposition member says

Supporters of detained businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan and members of the opposition Strong Armenia party staged coordinated protests across Yerevan on Friday, accusing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government of politically motivated detentions to silence dissent.

Demonstrators gathered outside the government building, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Investigative Committee, demanding the release of Karapetyan and other political prisoners in Armenia.

At a rally outside the government headquarters, Strong Armenia member Artur Mikayelyan said Armenia’s prisons were “filled with political prisoners”, arguing that the authorities were acting out of fear of losing power.

“Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is afraid of the people and losing power, so he is trying to strip individuals of their right to speak up,” Mikayelyan told protesters.

He claimed that in “86 days there will be no political prisoners in Armenia,” adding that after the June 7 parliamentary elections the country would become a “strong Armenia” where fundamental rights are respected and people are not punished for expressing their views.

Another party member, Arega Hovsepyan, accused the government of blocking Karapetyan’s economic initiatives, including proposals she said could create up to 300,000 jobs and expand access to affordable housing for young Armenians.

“Obviously,  the current authorities are not serving Armenia’s interests,” Hovsepyan said, alleging that the government was targeting individuals who seek to exercise freedom of speech, including Karapetyan, members of the clergy and media representatives.

Protesters also brought a symbolic gift for the prime minister, a mobile phone, referencing remarks attributed to Pashinyan suggesting Karapetyan could communicate with the public by phone. Demonstrators said the device symbolized a platform that could not be used to spread “false information or hate speech”.

The demonstrations coincided with a hearing at Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court on a request to extend Karapetyan’s pre-trial detention. Supporters had earlier announced plans to gather outside the courthouse on Tbilisyan Highway in Yerevan.