MP says criminal cases used to suppress political activism

PanARMENIAN.Net - Tigran Abrahamyan, a member of the “I Have Honor” parliamentary faction, responded to the recent acquittal of “Imnemnimi” hosts Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan by stating that criminal cases are often used as tools to suppress political and civic activism in Armenia. He shared his thoughts in a Facebook post.

“The court has acquitted Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan. From the very beginning, it was obvious that their rights were being violated,” Abrahamyan wrote.

“Acquittal is one thing, but who will be held accountable for depriving them and their families of freedom, for restricting their political activity and freedom of movement, for dragging them through an unpleasant and time-consuming legal cycle?” he asked.

He further alleged that authorities knowingly launch criminal cases with the expectation that the individuals will ultimately be acquitted. “The goal is to punish them through pre-trial detention and distract them from political life, which acts as a tool to suppress civic and political engagement,” he said.

Earlier, Judge Arman Hovhannisyan of the Avan seat of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction acquitted Samsonyan and Saghatelyan over charges stemming from the 83rd episode of their “Imnemnimi” podcast, where they criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Both were detained for two months and later placed under administrative supervision.

Their case has drawn criticism from international organizations, including Amnesty International, which described the prosecution as politically motivated.