Lawyer: Prosecutor General`s Office of Armenia  submits petition to  strip Narek Karapetyan of immunity

ArmInfo. The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia has submitted a petition to the Central Election Commission (CEC) seeking to strip Narek Karapetyan, a  political council member of the "Strong Armenia" alliance, of his  immunity, as stated by by Aram Vardevanyan, an attorney and  representative of the "Strong Armenia" alliance, to reporters outside  the CEC building. 

Vardevanyan noted that it remains unclear which specific case the  petition concerns. According to the attorney, they originally  intended to request time to review the case file, but Karapetyan  opposed the proposal. Vardevanyan pointed out that parliamentary  deputies are granted additional immunity, which requires  parliamentary approval to lift. "The Constitutional Court's decision  clearly states that once a person acquires the status of a  parliamentary deputy, they cannot be deprived of their liberty. The  CEC will hold a session regarding the Prosecutor General's petition  at 5:00 PM. This issue will be discussed on its merits now that the  alliance council member has acquired parliamentary immunity,"  Vardevanyan said.

Regarding the arrest of Strong Armenia bloc candidate David  Ghazinyan, Vardevanyan clarified that his case was sent to court so  rapidly that they are uncertain whom to address to lift the  detention, given that Ghazinyan has received a parliamentary mandate  granting him immunity. As Vardevanyan noted, there is currently no  investigative body handling the case, as the investigator has  completed their work, and the Prosecutor General—who was obligated to  wait for the conclusion of the CEC session—approved the indictment  within minutes and forwarded it to the court. "Currently, there is  essentially no supervising prosecutor, no body conducting the  proceedings, and no judge who could decide on Ghazinyan's pretrial  detention," Vardevanyan concluded.

Recall, on June 6, the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia applied  to the Prosecutor General's Office to petition the CEC to strip  "Strong Armenia" alliance candidate Davit Ghazinyan of his immunity.  The Committee justified the decision by claiming to have received  information that "Davit Ghazinyan, together with supporters of their  political force, distributed electoral bribes." On June 18, 2026, a  court decision placed Ghazinyan under a two-month arrest.