Yerevan: Armenia's parliamentary election, held on Sunday amidst rising tensions with Russia, has been overshadowed by arrests, bomb threats, and allegations of misconduct. The political atmosphere has been charged, with accusations directed at both domestic and international actors.
According to Ghana News Agency, pro-Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, leader of the Strong Armenia opposition party, reported that over 100 of his supporters were detained in the days leading up to the election. As Karapetyan cast his vote, he claimed that arrests of his supporters were continuing. He himself has been under house arrest, facing accusations of attempting a coup related to earlier unrest. The Interior Ministry has justified these arrests with allegations of attempted vote-buying.
In Gyumri, Armenia's second-largest city, police conducted searches at Strong Armenia offices, and three local electoral commission members were detained overnight. Police also responded to multiple bomb threats, which were reportedly false alarms. Gurgen Simonyan, leader of the small Meritocratic Party of Armenia, publicly suggested that the election might need to be repeated due to numerous violations.
Polling stations opened at 8 am, and by 5 pm, nearly 49% of voters had cast their ballots, indicating a higher turnout compared to the 2021 election. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is seeking a third term, emphasized the role of democracy in fostering regional and international cooperation.
Pashinyan is pursuing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan following Armenia's loss in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict three years ago. This has resulted in over 100,000 ethnic Armenians fleeing the region, with opposition accusing Pashinyan of betraying national interests. Despite these challenges, Pashinyan has received support from the US government, notably with Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to sign a bilateral cooperation agreement.
The election is deeply influenced by Armenia's strained relations with Russia, as Yerevan seeks closer ties with the EU. Moscow has retaliated with import bans and threats to terminate a favorable gas supply contract. An Armenian official accused Moscow of attempted vote-buying, claiming that Armenians in Russia were flown home to vote for pro-Russian parties in exchange for payment. However, no concrete evidence has been presented to substantiate these allegations, although criminal investigations have been initiated.
Farah Karimi, head of the OSCE election observation mission, highlighted the 'worrying polarization' of the election campaign, which has been marred by accusations and insults.