by Manishak Baghdasaryan

On July 29, Judge Vazgen Rshtuni ruled in favor of releasing Deacon Hrayr Hakobyan from pre-trial detention. This decision is widely seen as fair and balanced, which is a rare example of judicial independence in a case that is viewed as politically motivated. However, not every prisoner in Armenia will appear before a fair judge. Inconsistencies in the justice system mean that outcomes often depend on who presides over the case.

While Hrayr the Deacon is no longer physically behind bars, he remains under investigation and is banned from leaving the country. His pre-trial detention measure was altered, but the political context of his arrest remains unresolved.

Hrayr Hakobyan’s case comes from his apparent support for Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and the “Tavush for the Homeland” opposition movement. His arrest, along with several other clergy and movement supporters, shows that criminal prosecution is increasingly used as a political tool.

High-ranking officials like National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan have repeatedly referred to these individuals as “terrorists”. These public statements show a broader governmental tendency to put labels on the opposition– affecting public trust and judicial neutrality.

But the imprisonment of people for political reasons under Nikol Pashinyan’s rule began long before this.

Estimated list of political prisoners currently held in Armenia.

Estimated list of political prisoners currently held in Armenia.

One of the first examples of this is Lieutenant General Mikayel Arzumanyan, who became commander of the Artsakh Defense Army during the 44-day war, and was arrested and has been in detention since September 1, 2022. He is accused of dereliction of duty in planning the defense of Shushi between October 30 and November 9, 2020, which resulted in its fall and casualties among Armenian forces. On April 25, 2023, the Anti-Corruption Court extended his detention by three months, citing his former senior role and influence as potential risks to the investigation. In addition to military negligence, he is also charged with abuse of power under a new statute, a more serious offense carrying a prison term of 7 to 13 years.
Dozens of others remain detained under similarly questionable circumstances, including:

Armen Ashotyan*, the Vice Chairman of the Republican Party, who has been detained (then put on house arrest) since June 15, 2023, on politically driven corruption charges.

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan (leader of Tavush for the Homeland movement) who was arrested on June 25th and faces serious charges including charges on terrorism, and plotting a coup to overthrow the government. Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, Primate of Shirak Diocese, who was arrested on June 27, accused of making calls to usurp state power. It is important to mention that this is the first time since the bolsheviks, where high-ranking members of the Armenian clergy have been arrested by the state.

ARF members Andranik Chamichyan and Aleksan Asatryan remain in custody since July over items found in their homes meant for the game of strikeball, which were claimed to be prepared for a “terrorist attack” by authorities.

Other civic activists tied to the “Sacred Struggle” (Սրբազան Պայքար) movement have also been arrested under broad and mostly vague national security charges. Among them is Aghvan Arshakyan, who had recently overcome cancer but has since experienced serious health issues while in detention. Ara Rostomyan, the father of a soldier killed during the 44-day war, has also been detained. Additional arrestees include Karen Simonyan, Ara Avagyan, Artur Sargsyan, Tigran Topalyan, Liyda Mantashyan, Mihran Makhsudyan, and others. In most cases, the government has provided minimal public evidence to support the charges, raising concerns about the due process violations.

Armenian-Russian philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, founder of the Tashir Group, has also been held in detention since July 18, allegedly over his support for the Armenian Apostolic Church and its leadership.

In the weeks following his arrest, authorities revoked his company’s contract to operate the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA), one of the country’s largest energy distributors.This raises concerns that the state is using economic levers to punish political or ideological alignment with the church.

* When this article was written, Armen Ashotyan was still under house arrest, but on August 1st, the house arrest was replaced with administrative supervision.