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Armenian Parliament Strips Opposition Immunity After Brawl

Pashinyan’s government has moved to detain an opposition lawmaker over an alleged coup plot, preparing corruption charges against two other MPs.

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan waves as he arrives to attend the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, February 11, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
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Overview

  • Opposition MP Artur Sargsyan called for Pashinyan’s ouster, sparked a scuffle in the National Assembly and was stripped of immunity before surrendering on coup-plot charges.
  • Prosecutors have indicted Armenia Alliance MPs Seyran Ohanyan and Artsvik Minasyan on corruption charges and are readying a third indictment against Artur Sargsyan.
  • Archbishops Mikael Ajapahyan and Bagrat Galstanyan remain in pre-trial detention accused of orchestrating an alleged coup alongside political figures.
  • Police raided the offices of Samvel Karapetyan’s energy company following his arrest for criticizing the government and parliament approved its potential nationalization.
  • The intensified crackdown follows widespread protests over Pashinyan’s territorial concessions to Azerbaijan and underscores a battle between Western-leaning reforms and pro-Russian opposition.