Court refuses to detain Samvel Karapetyan's supporters

An Armenian court has rejected requests to detain two supporters of businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, following their arrest at a protest outside the Anti-Corruption Court last week.

Vaginak Ghazaryan, director of the Tashir Pizza chain, and Mayis Baghumyan have been charged with hooliganism, with Baghumyan also accused of resisting police. Their lawyer, Vahan Hovhannisyan, confirmed that the court dismissed investigators’ motions for custody on Monday, allowing both men to return home.

The arrests were part of a wider crackdown on 17 demonstrators detained during a rally in support of Karapetyan on 17 April. Prosecutors sought house arrest for 15 of them, while Ghazaryan and Baghumyan were singled out for detention.

The Strong Armenia party led by Karapetyan has denounced the proceedings as politically motivated and a sign of government “panic”.