Armenian Center for Political Rights

Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections test Pashinyan’s Western pivot amid Russian pressure, mass opposition arrests, strategic U.S. engagement through TRIPP, and the country’s post-Karabakh (Nagorno Karabakh) geopolitical realignment.

We examine Armenia’s May 28 Independence Day parade as election theater, Marco Rubio’s push for critical minerals deals and the TRIPP framework, and the strategic risks Armenia faces from Russia and Iran as the country heads into the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. Dr. Philippe Raffi Kalfayan returns from IODA’s second election observation mission to report a sharply deteriorating pre-election climate marked by arrests of opposition figures, state intimidation of voters, misuse of public resources, and widespread fear among citizens. Rafael Ishkhanyan of the Armenian  Read More

In this Spotlight on Silence episode, we speak with Rafael Ishkhanyan of the Armenian Center for Political Rights about selective justice and state pressure ahead of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We discuss wiretaps and leaks targeting opposition figures, abuse of hate speech laws against government critics, military service summons used as political coercion, and Pashinyan’s threats against political opponents and Artsakh Armenians.

This Conversations on Groong episode examines the Vedi abuse case, a disturbing story involving alleged sexual abuse of vulnerable minors and serious questions about Armenia’s law-enforcement response. Attorney Tatevik Soghoyan joins the program to discuss the known timeline, the delays between the first reports and arrests, the treatment of the victims, and the public statements by investigators and government officials. The discussion focuses on whether this was a local failure, a systemic breakdown, or a deeper case of political responsibility, while asking what Armenia’s justice and child-protection systems must do to prevent such cases from being ignored, delayed, or mishandled.