Wednesday, October 21 2026 11:24
Aline Grigoryan

The Anti-Corruption Committee reported the arrest of 14 people amid reports of persecution of Karapetyan`s supporters in Stepanavan

The Anti-Corruption Committee reported the arrest of 14 people amid reports of persecution of Karapetyan`s supporters in Stepanavan

ArmInfo. The Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia confirmed searches in Stepanavan, stating that they are being conducted as part of a criminal investigation and that 14 people have already been detained.

"We inform you that searches and other procedural actions are being conducted as part of a criminal investigation by the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia. 14 people have been detained. Additional information will be provided if necessary," the committee stated, commenting on information about searches at the homes of supporters of Samvel Karapetyan's Strong Armenia movement.

Strong Armenia faction MP Arega Hovsepyan later reported on her Facebook page that one of the detainees is Strong Armenia's candidate for head of the Stepanavan community, Arsen Gevorgyan.

Earlier today, Andranik Gevorgyan, a member of the Armenian parliament from the Strong Armenia opposition faction, reported on his Facebook page that mass searches and detentions of supporters of businessman Samvel Karapetyan's Strong Armenia movement have been underway in Stepanavan since early morning. The day before, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan offered to write to him personally to citizens and candidates for community heads in the local government elections who were under pressure from the ruling Civil Contract party. However, by the evening of the same day, he himself began threatening opposition representatives. It is noteworthy that all of this is happening ahead of the local government elections in Stepanavan, which will take place on October 25.

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