Armenian police detain 17 outside Anti-Corruption Court

Armenian police detained 17 people outside the Anti-Corruption Court in Yerevan on Friday after scuffles broke out between security forces and demonstrators backing opposition leader, businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan.

The Interior Ministry told Panorama.am that the arrests were made under Article 182 of Armenia’s Administrative Code, which sanctions refusal to comply with lawful orders from police or military personnel charged with maintaining public order.

Karapetyan, the prime ministerial candidate of the Strong Armenia party, is currently on trial at the Anti-Corruption Court. Supporters gathered outside the courthouse, where tensions escalated into shoving and pushing before police officers began to detain protesters.