Another Armenian Arrested For Insulting Pashinian

May 14, 2026

Armenia – Artak Avetisian, a Yerevan resident arrested for insulting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.

Law-enforcement authorities pressed on Thursday criminal charges against a man arrested after using offensive language to attack Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian during Armenia’s ongoing parliamentary election campaign.

In a live Facebook broadcast, Artak Avetisian, a resident of Yerevan’s southern Shengavit district, lashed out at Pashinian as the latter campaigned there on Tuesday. Avetisian was arrested from his home shortly afterwards. His family circulated a video of police officers forcing the handcuffed businessman into their car.

Armenia’s Investigative Committee formally charged Avetisian with disseminating hate speech after its officers searched his house on Thursday afternoon. The law-enforcement agency also asked a court to remand him in pretrial detention.

Ruben Melikian, a prominent pro-opposition lawyer representing Avetisian, insisted that his client did not break any laws. Melikian denounced the criminal case as politically motivated, saying that the Armenian authorities are continuing to crack down on their vocal critics ahead of the June 7 elections.

One of those critics was arrested and charged with hooliganism in February two months after posting an offensive video about Pashinian on the TikTok platform. Another citizen, a 55-year-old woman from the northwestern town of Akhurian, was prosecuted around the same time for reportedly making a disparaging statement about the prime minister and his family in a private message sent online.

Armenian prosecutors have not denied reports that they are monitoring people posting angry comments about Pashinian on social media and have ordered criminal investigations into some of them.

No Pashinian supporters have been prosecuted for offending or voicing threats against opposition politicians. In late December, one government loyalist publicly called for the murder of Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church whom Pashinian has been trying to depose. The Investigative Committee did not charge or even interrogate him.

Pashinian himself publicly insulted the fugitive son of one of his main election challengers, Gagik Tsarukian, during his campaign visit to Shengavit.

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School Heads ‘Investigated’ After Pashinian Rallies

May 14, 2026

Armenia – Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian campaigns in Syunik province, May 9, 2026.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Thursday that Armenian authorities are looking into reports that teachers and students of several public schools in the central Aragatsotn province were forced to attend his election campaign meetings held there on Wednesday.

Classes in those schools were interrupted during those meetings in what vote-monitoring groups condemned as a gross violation of Armenian law. One of those watchdogs, Akanates (Eyewitness), said that the underage students were ordered by their teachers, school principals as well as local government officials to greet Pashinian with flags and chants.

Commenting on the uproar, Pashinian said he has told four principals to tender their resignations and wait for the findings of an “internal inquiry.”

“We will conduct an internal inquiry, and if turns out that there was an illegal order [by them,] they will definitely be sacked,” he told reporters.

According to Akanates, Edgar Parvanian, a deputy governor of Aragatsotn, was the main “organizer of the recruitment of schoolchildren and teaching personnel.” Pashinian did not say whether Parvanian is also under investigation.

Akanates already accused Pashinian’s ruling Civil Contract party late last month of forcing schoolteachers and kindergarten workers to attend a pre-election concert in Gyumri. Nobody was prosecuted or fired as a result.

Pashinian and his political team have for years been accused of illegally ordering public sector employees to attend their campaign rallies or other gatherings. They have always denied that.

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RFE/RL – Kocharian’s Opposition Bloc Also Hit By Arrests

May 14, 2026
Armenia – Former President Robert Kocharian meets with voters in Martuni, May 10, 2026.

Former President Robert Kocharian’s Hayastan alliance accused the Armenian government of trying to obstruct its parliamentary election campaign after several of its members and supporters were arrested on vote-buying charges on Thursday.

The arrests followed a search conducted by the Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) at the opposition alliance’s office in Spitak, a town 95 kilometers north of Yerevan. The ACC said the head of the office donated money to one local resident and “together with other individuals” threatened another voter with violence.

The law-enforcement agency released the audio of secretly recorded conversations among the suspects not identified by it. They can be heard discussing financial issues and the need to have a “tough talk” with another person in case of an opposition victory in the June 7 elections. But they say nothing about vote bribes.

Hayastan rejected the accusations as politically motivated. It said the arrests are aimed at disrupting the work of its campaign officers and creating an “atmosphere of fear” ahead of the crucial elections.

“They cannot intimidate us with searches and arrests,” said Kocharian’s bloc widely regarded as one of the ruling Civil Contract party’s three main opposition challengers.

“These actions prove once again that the government lacks public support and self-confidence and resorts to such steps to ensure its own survival,” it added in a statement.

Armenia – Senior members of businessman Samvel Karapetian’s opposition Strong Armenia bloc attend a rally in Yerevan, April 11, 2026.

The arrests marked the first election-related criminal case against Hayastan. Law-enforcement authorities have opened at least 11 such cases against another opposition heavyweight, the Strong Armenia alliance of billionaire Samvel Karapetian. Several dozen of its members or supporters have been arrested in recent weeks on similar charges also denied by it.

“We, as the leading force, don’t need to give vote bribes,” Karapetian insisted last week. “Amid ongoing repressions in Armenia, friendly conversations among people are now considered a crime.”

He claimed that the crackdown highlights Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s pre-election “fears and convulsions.”

Pashinian’s party itself is accused by various opposition groups of trying to buy votes with public money as well as through a private charity run by the premier’s wife, Anna Hakobian. None of its members or supporters have been prosecuted on corresponding charges.

Earlier this week, the ACC refused to indict Tavros Sapeyan, a controversial pro-government mayor who has provided material aid to impoverished residents of his town of Talin. It denied any connection between the handouts and the upcoming polls. A coalition of Armenian civic groups that demanded criminal proceedings against Sapeyan continued to insist that he violated a legal ban on election-related benevolence.


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The family will receive 2 million drams for the birth of every fourth child. “Strength

Due to the wrong policy of this government, many young people died and destroyed the future of many young people. But we have a more dangerous and important question, about which everyone is silent. These people are quietly, without blinking an eye, shrinking our country, humiliating our country, and in a few years we may have Armenia without Armenians, or with very few Armenians. Party leader Samvel Karapetyan announced this at a meeting with members of the “Strong Armenia” party.


“There is absolutely no policy for the development of marzes, emigration reaches absolute levels. However, they claim that we have population growth. In fact, we have a completely opposite picture. All our border villages are in danger today, it can be said that the border villages have been depopulated equivalent to Artsakh. That’s why we consider these issues very important,” Samvel Karapetyan stated.


According to him, divorces in Armenia have reached an absolute level, the birth rate is decreasing, the country is slowly being depopulated due to emigration. Samvel Karapetyan stressed that our demographic data are terrible.  


As a solution, the party proposes: for the birth of every fourth child, the family will receive 2 million drams, and for the fifth and remaining children, families will receive a free apartment.


“I want to draw the attention of our society to 300,000 Azerbaijanis again. If we don’t stop it, very soon they will appear in different regions of Armenia and first of all in the border regions and villages liberated by Pashinyan”, added the leader of “Strong Armenia”.


To remind, the party announced earlier that upon coming to power, they will create 300,000 jobs in Armenia, provide 20,000 affordable apartments, etc.

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The 102nd military base of Gyumri will operate in accordance with RA laws. Pashinyan

The 102nd military base of Gyumri will operate in accordance with RA laws. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced this in a briefing with journalists.


According to him, regardless of what laws are in force in the Russian Federation, the Gyumri military base should operate within the framework of RA legislation.


“In this sense, I have no fear that the Russian 102nd military base in Gyumri will be put into action to protect the citizens of the Russian Federation arrested in Armenia,” he said in response to a journalist’s question.


He also referred to RA-RF relations.


“During my visit to Russia, one of our colleagues claimed that Armenia-EU cooperation harms Russia’s interests. I responded that we do not have such a goal, and I asked to give at least one example of what material damage this cooperation has caused to Russia, but there was silence in response. I asked this question a second time, and the answer was silence again. There is no conspiracy or action against anyone in our policy. We say transparently that Armenia and its people always need an alternative. have There is the EU and EAEU, and our people should have the opportunity to decide which strategy is the most promising and beneficial for them. There is no place to get upset or argue, we will not get into arguments,” he said.


Pashinyan was upset that the participants and observers of the elections, including outside Armenia, are trying to give a geopolitical context or context to the June 7 elections, but they cannot be of such a nature, because “Armenia conducts a balancing and balanced policy.”


“Armenia has clearly stated that it will not join the regimes of sanctions against Russia, but it will not take any steps that could lead the country to come under sanctions. We have told both Russian and European Union partners about this. We do not want to do anything against Russia, but we have a line: if we feel that by taking any step we ourselves fall under sanctions, we will not take those steps,” Pashinyan added.


To remind, today it became known that the Russian Federation included Armenia in the list of countries with a high risk of arrest of its citizens.

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Pashinyan filed a lawsuit against Samvel Karapetyan

Nikol Pashinyan filed a lawsuit against Samvel Karapetyan, chairman of the “Strong Armenia” party.


Pashinyan, who is on vacation, informed journalists about this.


To remind, during his press conference, Samvel Karapetyan stated that according to his information, “Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan brought hallucinating mushrooms with him from China and uses them every time before giving a speech.” It was that statement that became the basis of the lawsuit.

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This is a direct threat. Iveta Tonoyan, part of Pashinyan’s next manipulation

In response to another manipulation of Nikol Pashinyan.

Yesterday, PAP chairman Gagik Tsarukyan announced during a meeting with voters that a large number of patrolmen were fired in the Kotayk marz, because their family members are supporters of PAP. Minutes later, the Ministry of Internal Affairs hastened to deny this information, but today it became clear that this haste was unnecessary, because just minutes ago, Nikol Pashinyan actually confirmed G. Tsarukyan’s information, moreover, he added that if they haven’t been fired yet, they should definitely be fired, because even he doesn’t have that many people with positions in his circle.

First of all, this assessment-instruction, which is in clear contradiction with the law, is a direct threat to all opposition forces and figures. Absurdity must also have a measure and a limit. In other words, what happens if you have a friend, acquaintance, neighbor who works in law enforcement or in the state system, then you cannot sympathize or support any political force, because they will be fired by Nikol Pashinyan’s direct order. In fact, it is so. And secondly, when Nikol Pashinyan says that even he does not have patrols as familiar as Tsarukyan mentioned, because there are no people from his circle in that system, let me refresh his memory.

Yes, maybe there are no patrollers around you, instead, your classmate Vahe Ghazaryan was the Minister of Internal Affairs until recently, your friend Hayk Ghalumyan is currently the governor of Tavush, Hrachya Hakobyan is already receiving a deputy’s mandate for the second time for a brilliant game in the TV series, the former journalist of the People’s Republic of Azerbaijan Vahagn Hovakimyan is now the chairman of the CEC, your nephew Sipan Pashinyan is a member of the National Assembly. Hakob Simidyan, who sheltered you while you were under investigation, was the RA Minister of Environment. I can continue this series for a long time.

By the way, there are several other positions in which Nikol Pashinyan personally appointed himself and continues to work in those positions today.

Nikol Pashinyan – RA Prosecutor General
Nikol Pashinyan – Chief of Police of RA
Nikol Pashinyan – Head of the RA National Security Service
Nikol Pashinyan – a judge of various instances who reads verdicts to someone every day of the campaign.


Iveta Tonoyan




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Armenia will simplify the visa regime for COP17

Photo: afm.am

The RA government plans to temporarily ease the migration restrictions that have been in place for many years in order to facilitate the entry of delegates to the upcoming COP17 international conference into the country.


Within the framework of preparations for the large-scale event, representatives of certain states will have the opportunity to issue visas in a much faster and modern procedure.


According to the project jointly developed by the Ministries of Environment and Foreign Affairs, as well as the National Security Service, the E-VISA electronic system will be available for individual groups of international guests.


Since 2008, citizens of these countries could get an Armenian visa exclusively through diplomatic missions and consulates, only in case of a mandatory invitation.


It is expected that this innovation will significantly optimize organizational processes and ensure a smooth and comfortable arrival of foreign participants to Armenia.

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Verelq: In the end, is Nikol guilty or responsible? The National Assembly reminded again which one

After the 44-day war, Nikol Pashinyan uttered a sentence that later became the psychological diagnosis of the entire capitulating regime: “I am responsible, but not guilty.” Those words were not accidental. They were the words of a man who was aware of the scale of the disaster, but at the same time understood that the entire political, judicial and propaganda machine created in Armenia will protect him, justify him, wash away the blood, erase the traces of guilt. And so it happened.


Today, there is no real investigation in the Republic of Armenia regarding the 44-day war. There is only a self-defense mechanism of the government, where the prosecutor’s office, investigative bodies, government media, and the investigative commission of the National Assembly act with the same logic to save Nikol Pashinyan from the judgment of history and the people. That is why all the blame for the war is consistently shifted to the army. Generals, officers, volunteers, even the victims are guilty. Everyone, except for those who for years turned the country into a political circus, the army into a PR tool, and diplomacy into cafe demagogy.


When you listen to the sessions of the investigative commission led by Andranik Kocharyan, you involuntarily remember the demonstration trials held in Baku against the military-political leadership of Artsakh. It has already been decided in advance who is guilty, who should be seen as a “criminal” in the eyes of the public, who should be saved. One important aspect is missing in the activity of that commission: the truth. There is only a political order. And it is no coincidence that against this background, Seyran Ohanyan’s last speech in the government hall sounded like a heavy psychological blow to the entire CP propaganda machine.


Seyran Ohanyan, being a man of war and army, understands very well something that a significant part of the society still does not dare to accept. In the 44-day war, the Armenian army was not defeated as the authorities try to present. The army was left alone. For a month, the Artsakh Defense Army literally held the front with its own body, while the political power was living in information chaos, inactivity and unclear decisions. The war defeated the regime, which for years was busy not with building a state, but with the obsession of maintaining power.


Pay attention to what Seyran Ohanyan was saying. He was talking about the failure of military and political decisions, he was talking about the failure of mobilization, he was talking about the diplomatic disaster, he was talking about the state system which during the war could not even understand where the enemy’s main blow would come from. These were not random observations. They were assessments of a person who saw from the inside. And that’s why the government is afraid of such speeches, because they destroy the propaganda myth that “everything is the army’s fault”.


It is also interesting that Seyran Ohanyan raised a question in an open text: why is there not at least one criminal case against those diplomats, those state officials, those political officials who failed the negotiation process? Where are they? Why are they judging only the military? Why are those who were in the trenches responsible for the war, and those who handed over the state in the cabinets are still in power today?


The problem here is not only political. This is a matter of psychological decay of the society. For years, Armenian society has been taught that defeat should be accepted as an “era of peace”, humiliation as realism, national tragedy as an opportunity for development. A loser’s mentality has been implanted in people’s brains. And when Artsvik Minasyan announced from the podium of the National Assembly that the current government has long since turned into a servant of the Turkish-Azerbaijani agenda, he was actually describing the moral and psychological atmosphere that has formed in Armenia after 2018.


Perhaps the most important part of Artsvik Minasyan’s speech was the one where he recalled the chain of lies of the government. At first, people were convinced that Artsakh would never be surrendered. Then they started to explain that Artsakh was a “burden”. At first they said that the people will not be subjected to police violence. Later, the same police were smashing people’s heads in the streets of Yerevan. At first they talked about democracy, then they turned the entire state system into a tool of political reprisal.


A sick reality has formed in Armenia, where the government is ready to sacrifice everything in order to maintain its own existence: army, statehood, history, even national memory. That is why today the government propagandists talk much more easily about the need to avoid the topic of “Western Azerbaijan” than about the occupation of Artsakh. That is why the issue of Armenians kept in Azerbaijani prisons has become an inconvenience for the government, not a national tragedy.


When Artsvik Minasyan said that the current government turned citizens into subjects, it was not an exaggeration. The government in Armenia has been building a system of fear, despair and moral capitulation for a long time. Every day people are told that they are weak, defenseless, and cannot change anything. And managing such a society is very easy.


The greatest tragedy of Armenia today is not only territorial loss. The biggest tragedy is that the state is run by people who have turned defeat into a political technology. And as long as the entire law enforcement system serves to save one state criminal, as long as the investigative commissions act at the behest of the government, as long as the real responsible for the war are hidden behind the state chairs, the society will not receive either truth, justice, or healing.


As Raffi would say: “A tree worm will live for a thousand years if it does not belong to it.” Our thief is from our house, our worm is from our effort.” And today those words sound more relevant than ever. Because not “Sushi was grumpy”, but a son named Nikol Pashinyan conveyed that grumpiness to the entire Armenian reality.


Armenian Public Tribunal

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Turkey and Armenia advance toward direct trade as border preparations continue

EU Alive
May 14 2026

An adjustment simplifies customs procedures without yet establishing a fully open land border

EUalive with Bosphorus NewsMay 14, 202604:26

In a notable step forward in bilateral relations, Turkey and Armenia have taken a concrete measure to enable direct trade, even as work to reopen their shared border remains ongoing.

On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli announced that bureaucratic preparations for direct trade were completed two days ago. He clarified that this does not mean the physical border has reopened – technical work on border infrastructure is still in progress.

What the change means in practice

Under the new arrangement, goods traveling between the two countries via third countries can now be documented with Turkey or Armenia listed as the actual country of origin or final destination. Previously, such shipments required indirect routing and reclassification, adding complexity and cost.

This adjustment simplifies customs procedures without yet establishing a fully open land border. It reduces administrative hurdles and political ambiguity for businesses on both sides.

Reactions from Armenia

Armenian officials welcomed the development as part of the broader normalization process. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan described it as a positive outcome of ongoing efforts, highlighting its potential to boost trade, economic ties, connectivity, peace, and prosperity. She suggested it could pave the way for full border opening and the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Armenia’s Economy Ministry promptly informed local businesses of the change, noting that it should lower costs, shorten delivery times, and open new market opportunities for Armenian and Turkish companies.

Ruben Rubinyan, Armenia’s special representative for normalization with Turkey, emphasized that direct trade is now possible “in customs terms.” He confirmed that preparations for the land border – including the Gyumri-Kars railway – continue as part of the wider process.

Broader context

The move represents a pragmatic, technical advance in a normalization track that has progressed cautiously through incremental steps rather than dramatic breakthroughs. It fits into Turkey’s wider vision of enhancing economic connectivity and stability in the South Caucasus, while Armenia views it as a logical stage toward deeper relations.

Businesses now have a narrower but more practical channel for trade. If this arrangement proves effective, focus will likely shift to the next milestones: physical border opening, railway reactivation, and eventual diplomatic ties.

This development comes amid ongoing regional dynamics in the South Caucasus, where Turkey-Armenia talks intersect with broader connectivity and security priorities.

Turkey and Armenia have no formal diplomatic relations, and their shared land border has remained closed since 1993. The closure followed the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, when Turkey sided with Azerbaijan and imposed an economic blockade on Armenia.

The EU warmly welcomed the announcement by Turkey on initiation of bilateral trade with Armenia.

“This is a remarkable development in their normalisation process, also illustrated by the recent meeting of the bilateral working group to advance the restoration of rail connections between the two countries on 28 April 2026, which we welcomed”, the statement reads. It further says that this “significant step” has the potential to boost trade and economic opportunities between both countries, with a positive impact for the entire South Caucasus as well as the EU.

The original article by Bosphorus News can be found here.

Caption: AI-generated illustrative image.


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