Sanation: How Pashinyan is 'Cleansing' Armenian Politics
Sanation means cleansing the political playground from opponents through criminalization, defamation, and forced emigration. That's what's happening in Armenia now.
Dr. Markedonov introduces the concept of “Sanation” to describe the systematic political persecution unfolding in Armenia under Pashinyan. The term originates from Polish leader Józef Piłsudski’s interwar practices of cleansing the political arena of opponents through criminalization, defamation, media campaigns, and forced emigration. Markedonov traces Sanation in Armenia through successive phases: first the parliament (purging opposition figures), then the government, then the judiciary, then the Karabakh elite after the second and third Karabakh wars, and now the opposition forces themselves.
The analyst notes that Pashinyan has characterized opposition leaders-Karapetyan, Kocharyan, and Tsarukyan-as pro-Russian agents requiring removal. Yet Pashinyan himself simultaneously exploits revolutionary rhetoric, claiming that anyone who votes against him does so due to bribery or hypocrisy. This ideological inversion allows Pashinyan to justify systematic persecution as ideological cleansing rather than authoritarian consolidation. Markedonov emphasizes that while Putin discussed “pro-Russian forces” with Pashinyan, he did not specify whom he meant. Pashinyan’s own interpretation reveals the breadth of the alleged threat: any serious opposition.
Particularly striking is the Western silence on this process. Ursula von der Leyen and other EU leaders offer congratulations on Pashinyan’s electoral victory while ignoring opposition arrests, pressure on the Armenian Church, and the criminalization of dissent. J.D. Vance attended campaign events without objection despite attacks on the Catholicos of All Armenians. This selective Western backing-support for Pashinyan while ignoring democratic violations-reveals that the West prioritizes displacing Russian influence over advancing Armenian democracy. For observers of authoritarianism and democratic backsliding, Armenia under Pashinyan represents a case where geopolitical realignment toward the West provides political cover for domestic repression.
Transcript
Sergey: he announced new wave of cleansing of political space in Armenia Sergey: or maybe Sanation this Sanation started with parliament then government Sergey: then judicial branch of power then Karabakh elite in de facto state prior Sergey: to second Karabakh War and 2023 third Karabakh War and liquidation of infrastructure Sergey: of NKR and so on now next point is extermination of opposition forces Sergey: existing now which are treated like pro-Russian it's also necessary Sergey: to add some nuances because Vladimir Putin said about pro-Russian forces talking Sergey: with Pashinyan not naming exactly persons whom did he meant Sergey: but Nikol Pashinyan specified this issue saying that it's triangle Sergey: three heads of dragon, Karapetyan, Kocharyan, and Tsarukyan. Sergey: However, Sergey: in the course of electoral campaigns, Sergey: Karapetyan allowed a divorce between Armenia and CSTO. Sergey: He said, Sergey: maybe if we would find some options or reasons to go out to leave this organization,