Armenian opposition lawmaker gets detained
(MENAFN) An Armenian court has ordered the arrest of opposition lawmaker Artur Sarkisyan, accusing him of being involved in a plot to carry out a violent coup. The arrest is viewed by many as part of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s broader campaign against political dissent.
Sarkisyan, a representative of the nationalist Dashnaktsutyun party, was placed in two-month pretrial detention just a day after losing his parliamentary immunity. He has denied the charges, arguing that they misrepresent his role in the recent wave of anti-government demonstrations.
Since 2024, Armenia has seen widespread protests, many linked to the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), with critics accusing Pashinyan’s government of making dangerous concessions to Azerbaijan, a historic adversary.
Authorities have also arrested two bishops from the AAC and prominent businessman Samvel Karapetyan, alleging their involvement in the same coup plot. The government is now moving to nationalize Karapetyan’s energy companies.
On Thursday, security forces searched several properties tied to Dashnaktsutyun officials, detaining Arsen Martoyan, head of the party’s Yerevan branch, as well as the son of opposition MP Gegam Manukyan.
The Kremlin has described the political crisis in Armenia as an internal matter but expressed readiness to provide legal assistance to Karapetyan, who holds Russian citizenship. An Armenian appeals court recently upheld his pretrial detention, which began in mid-July.
Prime Minister Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018 following mass protests against his predecessor, is approaching the end of his term, with parliamentary elections expected next summer.
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