Oppositionist: Court softens pretrial detention for prisoner who spent 56 days on hunger strike

ArmInfo. The court has changed the preventive measure for prisoner Ashot Badalyan, who had been on hunger strike for over 56 days at the Nubarashen penitentiary, to house arrest. This was announced on Facebook by Lilit Galstyan, a member of the Armenian parliament from the opposition Armenia faction and chair of the National Assembly Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs.

In this regard, she recalled that the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs of the Armenian parliament had previously initiated visits to prisons under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. The purpose of the visits, Galstyan explained, was to familiarize themselves with the conditions of detention of prisoners and to assess the protection and observance of their rights.

"The court has changed his preventive measure, replacing detention with house arrest." "I hope that the progress of the trial will allow us to answer all questions," the MP noted.

Furthermore, Galstyan reported that during the visit, Commission representatives also met with prisoner Artur Vardanyan, from whom they received a corresponding request. According to the MP, Vardanyan has faced serious health problems. She explained that, given his list of illnesses, the medical care provided in prisons is insufficient to prevent his deterioration. "In this regard, I have appealed to the Minister of Justice, Srbuhi Galyan, and the Minister of Health of Armenia, Anahit Avanesyan, asking them to duly review the deteriorating health of convict Artur Vardanyan, who is being held in the Armavir Penitentiary, and take the necessary measures. Vardanyan's health condition is incompatible with the preventive measure chosen for him. The Commission will raise the issue of his release from further serving his sentence. "Because the prisoner's existing health problems pose serious obstacles to his future life," the MP concluded.

As a reminder, Badalyan declared a hunger strike on September 16, 2026. He is the father of three minor children. The convict began the hunger strike in protest of the delays in his trial. Badalyan's lawyers noted during a press conference in Yerevan that there is evidence that Badalyan shot the man in self-defense. The man came to his home with a gun and a grenade. It is noteworthy that Badalyan had been in custody for over a year in Nubarashen Prison on murder charges, but a final verdict has not yet been issued.