Armenian opposition members arrested after contesting election

By — Avet Demourian, Associated Press Avet Demourian, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/armenian-opposition-members-arrested-after-contesting-election Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Armenian opposition members arrested after contesting election World Jun 19, 2026 2:32 PM EDT YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Several members of Armenia's opposition were arrested Friday while a major pro-Russia party asked the top court to annul this month's election win by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's ruling party, alleging electoral violations and suppression of the opposition. The opposition Strong Armenia party appealed to the Constitutional Court to invalidate election results or call a second round of voting, and denounced the arrests of opposition politicians as an assault on democracy. Several other opposition parties followed suit, similarly accusing the ruling party of forcing public sectors workers to vote for it and bribing other voters. The Armenian authorities have denied any electoral violations and have accused the opposition of bribing voters. The court is set to decide in two days whether to hear the case. FILE PHOTO: People attend an election campaign rally of the Strong Armenia party, ahead of the June 7 parliamentary election, in Yerevan, Armenia June 3, 2026. Hayk Baghdasaryan/Photolure via REUTERS Final results of the June 7 vote released by the Central Election Commission showed Pashinyan's Civil Contract party winning 49.7% of the ballot, allowing it to again form the government as it seeks to distance Armenia from Moscow and deepen ties with the West. Observers have given the election mixed reviews. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Armenian voters were offered a "genuine choice" while also noting that the campaign was "highly confrontational" and marked by allegations of electoral violations that led to many criminal cases against opposition candidates, raising a perception of "selective justice." Strong Armenia is led by Armenian-Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who made his fortune in Russia and has been under house arrest on charges of advocating for the government's overthrow, accusations he has rejected as politically driven. Armenian investigators had issued six arrest warrants for members of Strong Armenia on the eve of polling day, accusing them of buying votes. Several more opposition members were arrested Friday on similar charges of bribing voters. Ruslan Barsegyan and Ashot Egiazaryan, who ran for parliament on Strong Armenia's ticket, were put in custody for two months pending an official probe, while Asatur Kocharyan of the opposition Armenia bloc was placed under house arrest. A former lawmaker and critic of the government, Ruben Akopyan, also was arrested on Friday, while another opposition politician, David Kazinyan, was put behind bars on Thursday. Strong Armenia denounced the arrest