April 16, 2026
“The official repression machine continues to work. we are ready for it.” 168TV’s “Zara Has a Question” reflecting on the air of the program “Strong Armenia” party members’ arrests, he announced party member Gohar Ghumashyan.
Gohar Ghumashyan clarified why the last actions were carried out in the city of Artashat: on April 19, they planned to hold a big rally there.
“Naturally, we submitted an application about it, and this morning already their car started working. We are ready for those steps on their part, we will not stop and will go to the end,” he added.
Reflecting on the episode of his arrest, the party figure noted that the investigators could not come up with a single argument that corresponded to reality.
“Finally, I was released under the condition of administrative supervision,” he said, then referring to the publicized recordings, he elaborated, “That phone call has nothing to do with the election process, I was called by a very close person, a relative, with whom I have had friendly relations for more than 10 years, and of course, that conversation was presented in a fragmented, incomplete, edited manner.”
The 2nd episode of the wiretapping was related to the businessman’s call, because I am considered the executive director of the Armenian Businessmen’s Association since 2020. That association is a non-profit organization that aims to support Armenian businessmen to present their products more competently, to further expand their partnership relations with a number of other businessmen.
The 2nd call was from a businessman whom I did not recognize, he introduces himself and I say that we are not familiar, he presents his production capabilities so that I can advise what should happen next, and I refer to our employee and say that please contact our employee, he will present you in detail what powers the association has and in what format we can cooperate. That’s it; And I think that if the court had doubts after the court session, I would not be sitting here right now.”
Gohar Ghumashyan assured that their struggle cannot be stopped by similar episodes, and he considered the leader of their political force to be someone who can ensure pan-Armenian unity.
“After Samvel Karapetyan comes to power, he will definitely not divide Armenians into black and white, there will be no vendettas, there will be no reprisals, we will work with professionals who work according to their principles and oaths.
I want to have the Armenia that Armenian mothers do not have to flee their sons from the country in order not to serve in the army. I really want Armenian women not to have to send their husbands to work abroad and wait for them for years. I want our young people not to tie their future with abroad, and I want to repeat my very dear thought that no more Armenian talent will leave Armenia due to being neglected.
The economy should be stable, diplomacy should be strong, our country should not be used as a tool, but we should be a factor in the field of diplomacy as well. I want Armenia to become a strong, influential and dignified country from June 8,” he concluded.
Today, we learned that more than a dozen people were arrested within the framework of the proceedings being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Committee. The committee issued a statement stating that election bribes were distributed in Artashat by the members of the “Strong Armenia” party and NGOs cooperating with them.
On April 14, the Court imposed administrative control on Gohar Ghumashyan and Verzhine Stepanyan, members of the same party.
The arrested Gohar Ghumashyan’s husband brought the two-month-old baby to the Anti-Corruption Court. The court allowed the mother of many children to see her breastfeeding baby for a few minutes. The child was restless, probably hungry or missing his mother.
According to the report of the RA Anti-Corruption Committee, “As a result of the activities carried out by the operational-investigative units, factual data was obtained that after the decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia on calling the regular elections of the RA National Assembly came into force on February 7, 2026, under the conditions of the legislative ban, various residents of RA participating in the national elections, under the name of charity, by a member of the “Strong Armenia” party with the assistance of another person 2026 In March of 2011, in one case, a monetary instrument was provided free of charge, in another case, a service was promised under preferential conditions. In connection with the incident, criminal proceedings were initiated under the relevant article of the RA Criminal Code, public criminal prosecution was initiated against two persons who were arrested.”
Details in the video
—
RFE/RL – Authorities Move To Oust Armenian Olympic Committee Head
- Gayane Saribekian
The chief of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s staff has initiated legal action aimed at ousting businessman and opposition leader Gagik Tsarukian as long-serving chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia (HAOK).
The Armenian Weightlifting Federation headed by the official, Arayik Harutiunian, filed a relevant lawsuit last week. It claims that Tsarukian runs the HAOK illegally because his tenure ended last September and he has failed to organize a new election of the committee’s chairman in a timely manner.
Harutiunian said on Thursday that Tsarukian, who has headed the HAOK since 2004, cannot seek reelection because he will turn 70 in November. The HAOK statutes set no age limits for the holder of the position.
Tsarukian’s spokeswoman, Iveta Tonoyan, hit out at Harutiunian earlier this week. But she did not comment on the violations alleged by Pashinian’s top aide and longtime political ally.
“It would be good if someone asked Arayik Harutiunian: do you have the right to be the chairman of the Weightlifting Federation?” said Tonoyan. “What is your connection with sports in general? What is your sporting background? What knowledge do you have about weightlifting?”
Elinar Vartanian, an opposition lawmaker allied to Tsarukian, said, for her part, that the government attempt to install a new HAOK head is politically motivated. Harutiunian denied that.
Vartanian warned that Tsarukian’s removal from the HAOK would spark an international scandal. She seemed to allude to the fact that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is strongly opposed to any government interference in the work of national committees. The IOC has sanctioned some countries for that reason.
Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) is widely regarded as one of the three main opposition contenders in the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections. In a series of statements made earlier this year, senior members of the ruling Civil Contract party signaled their concerns that the BHK and opposition blocs led by former President Robert Kocharian and another businessman, Samvel Karapetian, could win enough parliament seats to oust Pashinian. They said at the same time that the Armenian authorities will not “allow” such an outcome.
Tsarukian was indicted in December for selling his bottling plant in Bulgaria despite an Armenian court’s decision to freeze his assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In what his loyalists saw as a related development, law-enforcement officers raided his private compound outside Yerevan in February as part of another criminal investigation in which he had been questioned as a witness years ago. The former arm-wrestler seemed undaunted by the possibility of a new criminal case against him.
—
RFE/RL – More Armenian Oppositionists Rounded Up Ahead Of Elections
- Naira Bulghadarian
Armenian authorities arrested on Thursday at least 14 people mostly affiliated with a key opposition group led by billionaire Samvel Karapetian, raising more fears of its disqualification from the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
All of the detainees were understood to be residents of the southern town of Artashat. The Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) claimed that they gave or accepted vote bribes, a charge rejected by Karapetian’s Strong Armenia party as politically motivated.
The law-enforcement agency, which also raided the party’s local offices, released audios of their online conversations which it said prove that “a group of individuals” affiliated with the party or working for a non-governmental organization linked to it have been engaged in vote buying.
Vahan Hovannisian, a lawyer representing Strong Armenia, insisted that financial issues discussed by them related only to their wages. Senior party figures likewise rejected the accusations as politically motivated.
Two other Strong Armenia activists were arrested on similar charges on Tuesday. Armenian courts released them from custody hours later.
Hovannisian echoed media speculation that these criminal cases could be used by the authorities to bar Karapetian’s party from running in the June 7 elections. Davit Ghazinian, a senior party member, did not rule out such a ban.
“We are ready for all scenarios, including the party’s non-registration [for the elections,]” Ghazinian told journalists.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian was accused by critics of planning to secure an election victory through fraud or foul play when it emerged in December that his administration requested election-related assistance from the European Union. The EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, revealed that Yerevan is seeking the kind of “help to fight foreign malign interference” which the EU provided to Moldova ahead of parliamentary elections held there in September 2025. Two Moldovan opposition parties deemed pro-Russian were barred from participating in the elections won by the country’s pro-Western leadership.
Karapetian, 60, has mostly lived in Russia since the early 1990s and has a dual Russian nationality. Pashinian’s political allies have accused the tycoon of plotting to topple the Armenian government on the Kremlin’s orders ever since he entered politics following his controversial arrest last June. In a series of statements made earlier this year, they said that the ruling Civil Contract party will not “allow” Karapetian’s party and two other major opposition groups to collectively win a majority in the next Armenian parliament. Pashinian claimed on Wednesday that they will struggle to win any parliament seats.
Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly warned the authorities in Yerevan from barring what he called pro-Russian opposition forces from the elections when he met with Pashinian in Moscow on April 1. Putin implied that the Armenian economy, which is heavily dependent on Russia, would pay a heavy price for such bans or Yerevan’s continued drift to the EU.
Karapetian’ movement, which has avoided making overtly pro-Russian statements so far, is now increasingly regarded as the country’s main opposition force. It held a big rally in Yerevan on April 11.
—
Hamazkayin W.R. Junior “Nor Shounch” Literary Cafe April 19:
Dear Hamazkayin friends and supporters,
Hamazkayin Western Region Literary Unit’s “Nor Shounch” presentsLiterary Cafe. Join us for our first Literary Cafe, an open Armenian co-working and co-creating space designed to bring language, culture, and creativity together.
Come enjoy traditional Armenian coffee and pastries in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Bring along an Armenian book to read or simply let the space inspire you to create. Whether you feel like journaling, writing a letter, composing poetry, or reflecting in Armenian, this is your space to do so.
Stationery will be provided—just bring yourself, your ideas, and your love for the Armenian language. ☕📖
Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 2:00 PM
Hamazkayin Cultural Center, 1524 Canada Blvd. Glendale, CA 91208
“Join us at our first Literary Café, an open Armenian environment where work and creativity mix.
Let’s enjoy Armenian coffee and delicious sweets together.
Bring an Armenian book with you and let the atmosphere inspire you.
We invite you to enrich this creative environment with your ideas and presence.”
Warm regards,
Hamazkayin Western Region Literary Group Junior “Nor Shounch”
Glendale, CA, USA
Stay connected with us:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hamazkayin-Western-Region-Literary-Group-103109858137951
Instagram: www.instagram.com/hamazkayinwrliterarygroup
Website: https://hamazkayin.com/en
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@hamazkayinwest
Literary Group: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvdiz1UC_DnRv9lr1178gaIvSPoS1djRL
Hamazkayin: www.facebook.com/hamazkayinwr
Email: [email protected]
—
Armenpress: MOLDPRES: Moldova to officially leave CIS on 8 April 2027: Deputy
Originally published by Moldpres
The Republic of Moldova will officially leave the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on 8 April 2027, when the 12‑month period expires following the official notification sent to the organization’s secretariat in Minsk. The clarifications were made on April 15 by Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi, after the Government meeting.
The official stressed that, after the promulgation of the denunciation of the agreements and their publication in the Official Journal, the secretariat in Minsk was notified on April 8 of this year.
“We have received confirmation of receipt of this notification. Thus, from a legal point of view, after 12 months have passed, on April 8 next year, according to international law, we will no longer be part of the CIS. However, from a practical point of view, we have effectively no longer been part of the CIS for many years, since we have not participated in political events and in other events that are not in the interest of the Republic of Moldova,” Popșoi stated.
The Deputy Prime Minister also mentioned that Moldova will remain part of several economic agreements.
“Here, Georgia’s experience is telling. They have denounced the fundamental agreements, as we have also done, but have remained part of the economic agreements; this is exactly what we are doing as well,” Mihai Popșoi emphasized.
Over the last two years, the Republic of Moldova has launched a broad process of examining the relevance and applicability of treaties concluded within the CIS framework. So far, out of 283 CIS agreements, 71 have already been denounced, and approximately 60 are under review.
On April 2 of this year, Parliament approved in second reading the denunciation of the Agreement on the Establishment of the CIS, as well as the Protocol and the Statute of the organization, thus marking the final withdrawal of the Republic of Moldova from the statutory bodies of the CIS.
The decision comes at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which argued that the fundamental values and principles of the CIS are no longer respected, particularly with regard to territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders. The authorities refer to the actions of the Russian Federation in the region, including the war against Ukraine and the illegal military presence on the territory of the Republic of Moldova.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
Trump says Lebanese and Israeli leaders to hold first talks in decades
United States President Donald Trump has announced that the leaders of Lebanon and Israel will speak for the first time in 34 years on Thursday.
The announcement came a day after the countries’ envoys to the US held rare, direct talks in Washington, DC, to discuss an end to Israel’s attacks on its neighbor.
“Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow,” Trump said on Truth Social.
Lebanon was drawn into the US and Israel’s war on Iran on March 2 after Tehran-aligned Hezbollah resumed attacks on Israel.
Hezbollah said the attacks were in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war, on February 28, as well as Israel’s near-daily violations of a ceasefire it agreed to in Lebanon in November 2024, Al Jazeera reported.
Since then, Israeli forces have killed more than 2,000 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1.2 million others. The Israeli military has also launched a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, seeking to seize more territory and create what it calls a “buffer zone”.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
US announces new sanctions against Iran oil sector
The United States has announced it is tightening sanctions against Iran’s oil industry.
The sanctions target more than two dozen individuals, companies and vessels.
“Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) intensified pressure on Iran’s illicit oil transportation infrastructure by sanctioning more than two dozen individuals, companies, and vessels operating within the network of Iranian oil shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani (Shamkhani), the son of now-deceased senior Iranian security official Ali Shamkhani,” the US Department of the Treasury said in a press release.
“Treasury is moving aggressively with Economic Fury by targeting regime elites like the Shamkhani family that attempt to profit at the expense of the Iranian people,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Under President Trump’s leadership, Treasury will continue to cut off Iran’s illicit smuggling and terror proxy networks. Financial institutions should be on notice that Treasury will leverage all tools and authorities, including secondary sanctions, against those that continue to support Tehran’s terrorist activities.”
The move comes weeks after Washington issued a 30-day waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil at sea, which Bessent said last month allowed some 140 million barrels to reach global markets in a bid to relieve pressure on global energy supplies sparked by the war, Reuters reported.
Bessent confirmed on Wednesday that the waiver, issued on March 20 and set to expire April 19, would not be renewed, according to Reuters.
The United States on Wednesday threatened to sanction buyers of Iranian oil and said it believed China would pause such purchases as Washington enforces a maritime blockade on Iran.
“We have told countries that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters at the White House.
Meanwhile, the US State Department said Washington is acting to decisively limit Iran’s ability to generate revenue as it attempts to “hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage.”
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
Disused Edinburgh ex-Armenian restaurant to be transformed into luxury short-t
—
Art: Armenian government has acquired Arshile Gorky’s “Untitled”
April 16 2026
Armenian government has acquired Arshile Gorky’s “Untitled”
Yerevan /Mediamax/. The exhibition “Arshile Gorky: New York-Yerevan: New Acquisition” has opened at the National Gallery of Armenia.
The Armenian government has acquired the graphic work “Untitled” (1944) by the world-renowned American-Armenian artist at an international auction.
The event was attended by Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Mayor of Yerevan Tigran Avinyan, and Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan.
“Our people have had different pages in history: at times the center of Armenian life was Madras, at other times Istanbul or Tbilisi, and at one point Venice. Today, we affirm that the center of Armenian reality and life in all its dimensions – cultural and ideological – is the Republic of Armenia,” Nikol Pashinyan said in his speech.
The Prime Minister noted that the acquisition of Arshile Gorky’s work was made possible by the contributions of thousands of tax-paying citizens.
Photo: Armenian government
The government reports that “Untitled” was presented at the Sotheby’s auction house in London. The starting price for the 1944 graphic work (paper, pencil, 45.4 × 55.5 cm) was 45,000 euros, with an estimated upper range of 70,000 euros.
During the auction held on December 3, 2025, the work was acquired by the Government of Armenia for 30,978,000 AMD (approximately 69 000 euros).
—
Travel: Thought for the week: A pilgrimage to Garni, Armenia
However, even the most devout pilgrim can suffer monastery fatigue – Khor Virap, Geghad, Sevanavank – all similar stone conical roofs against the magnificent Caucasus mountains. Then we arrived in Garni. One of the only pagan temples, it stands like an improbable small version Parthenon in a remote corner of Armenia, over one thousand, five hundred miles from Athens. Built in 77 AD during the reign of Tiridates I, its continued existence is a mystery. When the country adopted Christianity, all pagan temples were razed to the ground and churches erected on their sites.
Even odder is the fact, that after the 1679 earthquake toppled the temple, it was the famously atheistic Soviet government that meticulously restored it in 1975. Most probably, the Russians, who have always prized the classical form, were entranced by its classic geometrically perfect colonnade on a platform of double-height stairs and topped with triangular pediments.
Garni Temple today is a key destination for tourists, but also Armenian neo-pagans who celebrate the birth of Vahagn, the God of fire. We were there during Nowruz, the Persian new year. Traditionally, Iranians also travel to Garni to celebrate this, as Nowruz is a 3000 year old Zoroastrian (the religion of Persia before Islam) custom. This year, we did not encounter any. What struck me was the palpable sadness of the locals. ‘It is not the same without them’ was the wistful remark from so many. Garni temple, which has witnessed centuries of civilisations and itself been resurrected, knows that this time too will pass.
—