Writers' Union of Armenia disputes government claim over ownership of historic building

The head of the Writers’ Union of Armenia is defending the organization’s claim to its longtime headquarters as a legal dispute with prosecutors moves forward in court.

 “We are presenting our position and expect it will be understood,” Writers’ Union Chairman Eduard Militonyan told Panorama.am on Tuesday.

The property, located at 3 Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan, has housed the Writers’ Union and served Armenia’s literary community for roughly 75 years, he said, questioning the basis for the state’s challenge.

Three court hearings are scheduled for April, Militonyan added.

The case is part of a broader initiative launched in 2024 by the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office targeting properties held by creative unions, including the Writers’ Union and the Artists’ Union. Prosecutors argue that ownership rights to the buildings were registered in violation of legal requirements.

The authorities contend that the properties, including those at 3 Baghramyan Avenue and 16 Abovyan Street, were improperly privatized in the 1990s and subsequently transferred to the unions, which are organized as public associations.

Both unions have challenged the state’s position in court, while prosecutors have filed claims with the Administrative Court seeking to invalidate the ownership registrations and return the properties to state control.