Five people have been arrested in connection with bribery before the elections in Armenia.

The Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia reported on a case involving coercion to vote for Samvel Karapetyan's party.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on May 23, Andranik Tevanyan, leader of the Mother Armenia party and number two on the Prosperous Armenia party's election list, was arrested for two months. The court allowed him to participate in the election process through representatives.

23:59 24.05.2026

The main contenders for seats in the Armenian parliament focused on criticizing their opponents

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan criticized the actions of opposition representatives. During his eight years as prime minister, Pashinyan has failed to improve people's lives, leading the country into crisis, his opponents said.

Armenia's Anti-Corruption Committee announced the opening of a criminal case in connection with information received regarding the alleged coercion of citizens to vote for the Strong Armenia party, led by Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan.

"Information was received that individuals conducting business in the Russian Federation, exploiting the financial dependence of a number of citizens who had left to work abroad, together with a supporter of the Strong Armenia party and others, organized their transfer to Armenia, forcing them to participate in the parliamentary elections and vote for the party they indicated," the committee said in a Facebook post*.

The release did not report any arrests in the case. However, earlier today, NEWS.am reported that law enforcement officers conducted searches at one of the Strong Armenia party offices in the Avan district, as well as at the homes of party supporters.

In this regard, sources in the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia reported that the searches are being conducted as part of a criminal investigation initiated by the committee into allegations of giving and receiving election bribes. Five individuals have been detained. Their names have not been released, and the specific measures of restraint chosen for them have not been disclosed.

The Armenian parliamentary elections are scheduled for June 7. Seventeen parties and two blocs have been admitted. Samvel Karapetyan's Strong Armenia bloc, Robert Kocharyan's Armenia bloc, and Gagik Tsarukyan's Prosperous Armenia party are the most pro-Russian candidates in the upcoming elections. The Kremlin is backing Karapetyan, but he is legally ineligible to participate.

The opposition's fragmentation has not diminished despite the campaign that began on May 8 and the mounting pressure: the main opposition parties are vying for votes and political leadership. Representatives of the "Strong Armenia" and "Armenia" blocs emphasized the importance of partnership with Russia, but emphasized the need for the country to pursue an independent policy.

The "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report entitled "2026 Elections to the National Assembly (Parliament) of Armenia".