Protesters call for release of Christian Armenian prisoners as European leaders meet in Yerevan

Artsakh Armenians rallied outside the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex in Yerevan on Monday, demanding the release of Christian prisoners and denouncing political repression and cultural destruction, as European leaders convened for the eighth the European Political Community summit.

Protesters, joined by Armenian citizens, political parties and civic groups, accused the Armenian authorities of curbing free speech, exerting control over the judiciary and pressuring the Armenian Apostolic Church. They also warned of ongoing erasure of Armenian Christian heritage in Artsakh and said the summit offered a rare chance to deliver their message directly to the international community.

The high-profile gathering has brought together senior EU officials, including European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other heads of state and government have also arrived in Armenia for the summit.