Armenia elections: 14 arrested over links to pro-Russian party and alleged vote buying

Armenia elections: 14 arrested over links to pro-Russian party and alleged vote buying
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, April 1, 2026.
Reuters

Anti-corruption authorities in Armenia have arrested 14 people linked to a pro-Russian opposition party on suspicion of vote buying, just weeks before June’s parliamentary elections.

 

Officials raided several offices of the Strong Armenia party, Yura Dilanyan, a lawyer for the party, told Armenian media.

“We've been trying to determine where these individuals were transferred, under what circumstances, and for what reason," she said.

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee said more than a dozen people had been detained following an investigation into alleged electoral bribes distributed to voters in Artashat province.

A Strong Armenia member described some of those arrested as “supporters” in a Facebook post.

Earlier detentions and election rules

On Tuesday, two other members of the party were arrested and accused of violating a ban on charity work during the election period.

Strong Armenia, led by Armenian-Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, is currently polling second behind the ruling Civil Contract party, according to a February survey by the U.S.-based International Republican Institute.

Karapetyan's legal case

The 60-year-old is currently on trial, accused of making public calls to overthrow the government and of alleged money laundering.

He was arrested in June 2025 after accusing the government of waging a campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church, saying he would act "in his own way" to stop it.

Karapetyan denies attempting to overthrow the government and says the case against him is politically motivated.

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