The Investigative Committee of Armenia has said it uncovered multiple cases of coercion and material incentives offered to people to participate in the July 4 rally organized in support of businessman Samvel Karapetyan. Public criminal prosecution has been initiated against three individuals.

According to the Committee, in another ongoing criminal case involving the detained S.K., a group of his supporters allegedly forced or offered financial incentives to residents across various Armenian communities to attend the rally held in Yerevan on July 4, 2025.

On July 8, based on court orders, simultaneous searches were conducted at nearly 20 addresses. These led to the discovery of items and documents of significant investigative value, including name lists containing monetary notes and cash.

Based on the evidence obtained, a decision was made to initiate public criminal prosecution against three individuals under Article 236, Part 2 of the Criminal Code—coercing or obstructing participation in gatherings or materially incentivizing attendance or abstention—and under Article 46-236, Part 2 for assisting in such acts.

Urgent investigative and procedural actions are ongoing as part of the preliminary investigation.

The Investigative Committee stated that all necessary measures will be taken using legally permissible tools to identify those involved in coercion and bribery related to the rally, assess their actions legally, and apply appropriate legal measures.

Note: A person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court verdict under the Criminal Procedure Code.