Armenian opposition alleges political motives behind detentions of party members

Armenian opposition figures on Thursday accused the authorities of attempting to obstruct the formal registration of a newly established political party following the detention of its supporters and affiliates in the town of Artashat.

Marianna Ghahramanyan, spokesperson for the Strong Armenia party, said the actions constituted a politically motivated effort to manufacture legal grounds to deny the party’s registration for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Speaking to Panorama.am outside the Anti-Corruption Committee, she characterized the developments as indicative of a government acting out of insecurity.

“This reflects the fears of Nikol Pashinyan’s weak government,” Ghahramanyan said. “There is a clear attempt to create artificial justifications to block the registration of the party.”

Those detained include party supporters, a woman listed on the party’s electoral slate and the head of the party’s Artashat office. Ghahramanyan further alleged that the authorities were disproportionately targeting women, accusing them of breaching restrictions related to charitable activities.

Separately, lawyer Yura Ivanyan said the number of detainees in Artashat had risen to 14. He noted that legal representatives had been attempting to determine the detainees’ whereabouts and legal status since early morning, but had not received official clarification.

“We have no information regarding the grounds for these detentions—no charges, no stated suspicions,” Ivanyan told reporters, raising concerns about due process.

Earlier, Strong Armenia member Gohar Meloyan reported that supporters and a candidate on the party’s electoral list had been taken into custody.