Prosecution of opposition candidate aims to spread fear, lawyer says

Aram Vardevanyan, a lawyer and parliamentary candidate of the Strong Armenia alliance, condemned the criminal proceedings against fellow candidate Davit Ghazinyan, calling them politically motivated and aimed at spreading fear rather than upholding the rule of law.

Speaking to reporters outside the Central Election Commission on Wednesday, Vardevanyan criticized the Anti-Corruption Committee for releasing investigative recordings on June 5, undermining the principle of pretrial confidentiality. 

"The sole purpose has been to cultivate an atmosphere of fear… not legal reasoning, but an attempt to foster intimidation," he said.

The Prosecutor General’s Office has petitioned the CEC to authorize prosecution and detention of Ghazinyan, along with similar motions against other opposition figures, including Ashot Yeghiazaryan, Ruslan Barseghyan, former President Robert Kocharyan, and Asatur Kocharyan.

Vardevanyan argued that the legal grounds for detention, including risk of obstruction, flight, or commission of new crimes, are absent. He noted that the recording cited by investigators refers to a third party, not Ghazinyan, rendering the case “an absurdity” with “no substantiated connection.”

The CEC session is currently being held behind closed doors.