Arrests and controversy following several heated campaign encounters with Pashinyan
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was involved in multiple heated arguments as he campaigned around Armenia ahead of the June elections in recent days, prompting arrests, criticism from observers, and reported calls for resignation.
During his campaign in Yerevan on Monday, tensions escalated when individuals in two different places approached Pashinyan with accusations related to the aftermath of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War of 2020.
In one incident, an argument broke out with a Nagorno-Karabakh refugee, Artur Osipyan, who was later arrested on suspicion of hooliganism.
‘You should have gone and died in place of our children, […] you thieving animals. Why are you alive? Why are you alive, when you’re even talking about another 5,000 victims, you scum — why are you alive?’, Pashinyan told Osipyan during their exchange.
He further warned others not to approach him with what he described as ‘Kocharyan–Serzh–[Karapetyan]-like spy narratives’ — referring to ex-presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, as well as Russian–Armenian tycoon Samvel Karapetyan.
Earlier the same day, another confrontation involved Arpine Sogoyan, an obstetrician-gynaecologist, who accused Pashinyan of ‘stealing [her] homeland’ and ‘destroying an entire generation’, referring to the victims of the 2020 war and subsequent escalations.
According to Factor, Sogoyan’s brother, Lieutenant Colonel Hrant Papikyan, went missing during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Reports later emerged that she had been asked by the head of the clinic she works for to submit a resignation request, though her daughter, Tatevik Sogoyan, stated that no resignation had been submitted.
Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan, on Monday, in a press briefing, ruled out ‘that any person would be fired for their political views’.
Separately, observers have criticised Osipyan’s detention.
Daniel Ioannisyan from the Independent Observer argued that there were no elements of hooliganism or other criminal offences in Osipyan’s actions, and that he had only ‘expressed political criticism directed’ at Pashinyan. Ioannisyan noted that Pashinyan, in turn, made ‘personal, dignity-insulting remarks’.
The Independent Observer demanded the ‘immediate removal of restrictions on Artur Osipyan’s liberty', and urged authorities to issue a public apology if the response was found to be disproportionate or politically motivated.
A separate incident on Tuesday in the Lori region also drew attention, where an elderly man attempting to approach Pashinyan was forcibly removed by what appears to have been plainclothes police officers.
The man, later identified as Artyom Grigoryan, is the grandfather of Aram Manukyan, a soldier who died in the deadly fire at a military barracks in the village of Azat in Geghakunik in January 2023 that left 15 soldiers dead.
Grigoryan accused Pashinyan of being culpable for the incident and demanded justice.
Ani Avetisyan
In turn, Pashinyan dubbed such actions as provocations orchestrated by Karapetyan, claiming that those criticising him in public in such a manner were paid ֏200,000 ($510) to do so.
‘It’s become a trend — sending one person everywhere. Let’s not pay attention’, Pashinyan said.
More arrests and investigations
Separately, Armenian authorities on Tuesday reported a newly uncovered case of alleged vote-buying linked to Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia Alliance.
According to investigators, several individuals, despite legal restrictions on acts of charity during the pre-election period, paid rent for a number of voters in the Lori region.
‘To avoid detection and reduce the traceability of their actions, the group members used intermediaries and vehicles belonging to them. The funds were mainly provided in cash, and employees of affiliated companies, as well as people from their circles, were involved in the process of receiving and distributing the money. In order to make tracking the movement of funds more difficult, they also planned to use Russian bank cards for financial transactions’, the Anti-Corruption Committee said in its statement.
This comes to be the latest uncovered case of alleged vote-buying from Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia. Since the start of the election campaign on 8 May, such reports have been made almost daily, predominantly concerning Karapetyan’s affiliates.
Also on Tuesday morning, Armenian authorities raided about 15 addresses in Yerevan for yet undisclosed reasons. According to Factor, the searches were being conducted to find weapons and ammunition.
Nate Ostiller
Other incidents raise concerns
A number of civil rights organisations have expressed ‘deep concern’ regarding the death of Armen Hovhannisyan, who reportedly took his own life at the Mental Health Centre following his detention after tearing down campaign posters for Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party.
The civil rights defenders called for an ‘immediate, independent, and effective investigation’ into the circumstances of his alleged suicide and the legality of his detention.
In a separate case, campaign events led by Defence Minister Suren Papikyan in Lori were disrupted on 16 May by supporters of the Strong Armenia Alliance.
Authorities initiated criminal proceedings on charges of campaign obstructions, placing six people in pre-trial detention and another four under house arrest.
Another individual from Lori has also been placed under house arrest on suspicion of hooliganism over a social media post targeting a Civil Contract supporter.
