Narek Samsonyan was released

A Yerevan court, at the defense's request, softened the pretrial detention of "Imnemnimi" podcast co-author Narek Samsonyan, replacing his house arrest with administrative supervision.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, in early January, a Yerevan court extended the pretrial detention of "Imnemnimi" podcast co-authors Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan for three months on charges of hooliganism. Following this decision, Narek Samsonyan announced the beginning of an indefinite hunger strike, which he ended 15 days later on the recommendation of doctors. Samsonyan's lawyers reported deteriorating health and the need for urgent surgery. Human rights activists have recognized him as a political prisoner and demanded his immediate release. During his hunger strike, he was taken in for examination several times, but after the examination, he was returned to prison. On January 30, Samsonyan was taken to a court hearing in Yerevan in a wheelchair. The defense and the opposition called his condition a consequence of his imprisonment and a two-week hunger strike. Since February 19, Samsonyan has been under house arrest.

Narek Samsonyan, co-author of the "Imnemnimi" podcast, who had been under house arrest since February 19, has been released under administrative supervision.

The court of first instance mitigated Samsonyan's pretrial detention, granting the defense's motion, his lawyer, Ruben Melikyan, reported. Under the terms of the administrative supervision, the blogger is prohibited from making public statements, Novosti-Armenia reports.

Narek Samsonyan was hospitalized in early February and underwent surgery, after which the Armenian Court of Appeals mitigated his pretrial detention for the first time – the blogger was transferred from a pretrial detention facility to house arrest.

Vazgen Saghatelyan, the second co-author of "Imnemnimi," remains in custody. On February 24, an appellate court rejected his pretrial detention. The blogger's supporters are demanding his release, noting that Saghatelyan has been incarcerated for over four months.

"There is a political prisoner in Armenia who is in jail simply for responding to insults from a government official," Aysor.am quoted a statement from Saghatelyan's supporters on March 17.