Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court has extended by one month the house arrest of businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, the prime ministerial candidate of the opposition Strong Armenia party.

Party council member Narek Karapetyan denounced the decision, alleging that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was seeking to compete “only against Karapetyan’s image” in the upcoming elections, describing the government’s approach as “fighting against a shadow”.

“But despite this, he will lose even this fight,” Karapetyan said, promising that the party would soon unveil its next steps. He insisted that “in three months, Samvel Karapetyan will be Armenia’s prime minister”.