Political Prisoners
Last updated: May 29, 2026
The arrest and detention of political opponents has been one of the defining controversies of the Pashinyan government, particularly in the period following the 44-Day War and accelerating sharply in 2024 and 2025. Those detained include figures from across the opposition spectrum: leaders of the Armenia Alliance and Hayastan Dashinq blocs, senior clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church including archbishops and bishops, journalists, civil society activists, and members of political parties competing in the 2026 elections.
Critics of the government argue these arrests constitute politically motivated persecution designed to weaken the opposition ahead of the June 2026 parliamentary elections and to suppress the Srbazan Movement that emerged in spring 2024. The Pashinyan government has characterized the detentions as lawful prosecutions for criminal conduct. International human rights organizations and Western governments have raised concerns about the fairness of proceedings and the conditions of detention.
Groong has covered political prisoners in Armenia extensively, tracking individual cases, the legal proceedings, international responses, and the broader pattern of what critics describe as democratic backsliding. Episodes in this category address the detention of specific individuals, the political context of their arrests, and the implications for Armenia’s stated aspirations toward European integration and rule of law.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Political Prisoners.
Armenian News: Opposition | Jhangiryan Scandal | Peace Talks, Shootings | Ep #143 - Jun 19, 2022 [EP143]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 21, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel, Artsakh, China, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir
Guest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong - Week in Review - June 19, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:53 Did the Opposition Blink? What will happen to the Yerevan protests?
- 15:54 Scandal in the Supreme Judicial Council involving Gagik Jhangiryan (SJC)
- 34:31 More Artsakh âPeaceâ Talks, More Border Shootings
- 52:32 Rants
Guests:
- Tevan Poghosyan / Ô¹Õ¥ÖÕ¡Õ¶ ÕÕ¸Õ²Õ¸Õ½ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ / TW/@TevanPoghosyan
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 143 | Recorded: Monday, June 20, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220619.html
Read MoreArmenian News: Opposition | Jhangiryan Scandal | Peace Talks, Shootings | Ep #143 - Jun 19, 2022 [EP143]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 21, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel, Artsakh, China, Russia, Nagorno KarabakhGuest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong - Week in Review - June 19, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:53 Did the Opposition Blink? What will happen to the Yerevan protests?
- 15:54 Scandal in the Supreme Judicial Council involving Gagik Jhangiryan (SJC)
- 34:31 More Artsakh âPeaceâ Talks, More Border Shootings
- 52:32 Rants
Guests:
- Tevan Poghosyan / Ô¹Õ¥ÖÕ¡Õ¶ ÕÕ¸Õ²Õ¸Õ½ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ / TW/@TevanPoghosyan
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 143 | Recorded: Monday, June 20, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220619.html
Read MoreArmenian News: Yerevan Protests Grow | Artsakh Negotiations | New MPG Poll | Ep #141 - Jun 5, 2022 [EP141]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 7, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union | Series: wir
Guest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - June 5, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:52 Yerevan Protests Continue
- 24:30 State of Negotiations on Artsakh
- 42:27 MPG Gallup Poll Results
- 44:14 Rants
Guests:
Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan / TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Host:
Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq Episode 141 | Recorded: Monday, June 6, 2022
Armenian News: Yerevan Protests Grow | Artsakh Negotiations | New MPG Poll | Ep #141 - Jun 5, 2022 [EP141]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 7, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European UnionGuest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - June 5, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:52 Yerevan Protests Continue
- 24:30 State of Negotiations on Artsakh
- 42:27 MPG Gallup Poll Results
- 44:14 Rants
Guests:
Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan / TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Host:
Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq Episode 141 | Recorded: Monday, June 6, 2022
Armenian News: Negotiations | Opp Protests | Iran-Armenia Rels | CSTO Meet | Ep #139 - May 22, 2022 [EP139]
Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Georgia, Turkey, Syria, Ukraine, Israel, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Economy, European Union, NATO, Human Rights | Series: wir
Guest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 22, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:05 âAgenda of Peaceâ Negotiations Continue
- 34:49 Iran-Armenia Relations
- 44:00 CSTO Leaders Meeting in Moscow
- 49:44 State of the Opposition Protests
- 59:51 Hovik’s Rant
Guests:
- Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan / TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 139 | Recorded: Monday, May 23, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220522.html #zartnirlao
Armenian News: Negotiations | Opp Protests | Iran-Armenia Rels | CSTO Meet | Ep #139 - May 22, 2022 [EP139]
Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Georgia, Turkey, Syria, Ukraine, Israel, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Economy, European Union, NATO, Human RightsGuest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 22, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:05 âAgenda of Peaceâ Negotiations Continue
- 34:49 Iran-Armenia Relations
- 44:00 CSTO Leaders Meeting in Moscow
- 49:44 State of the Opposition Protests
- 59:51 Hovik’s Rant
Guests:
- Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan / TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 139 | Recorded: Monday, May 23, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220522.html #zartnirlao
Pietro Shakarian - Soviet or Armenian? The Life and Times of Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan | Ep 28, Dec 4, 2020 [EP28]
Posted on Friday, Dec 4, 2020 | Category: Armenia, History, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, History, USSR, Russia, Georgia, China, Economy, Ukraine, Soviet Armenia, Modern Armenia | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- The Life and Times of Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan
Episode 28 | Recorded on December 3, 2020
Pietro Shakarian - Soviet or Armenian? The Life and Times of Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan | Ep 28, Dec 4, 2020 [EP28]
Posted on Friday, Dec 4, 2020 | Category: Armenia, History, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, History, USSR, Russia, Georgia, China, Economy, Ukraine, Soviet Armenia, Modern ArmeniaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- The Life and Times of Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan
Episode 28 | Recorded on December 3, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - (Ep #14) - 09/13/2020 [EP14]
Posted on Monday, Sep 14, 2020 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Israel, India, China, Georgia, Ukraine, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir
Guest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/13/2020
Topics:
- Electoral Reforms in Armenia
- Journalist Dana Mazalov passes away
- ANSEF Reorganization
- My Step MP Arsen Julfalakyan Resigns from Parliament
- Russian Opposition Leader Navalny’s Poisoning and Recovery
- What is going on in Baku?
- Azeri pressure on Arms Providers to Armenia
- Aliyev vs. Aliyeva?
- Caucasus 2020 Joint Military Exercises and those MIA
Guests
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Emil Sanamyan
- Alen Zamanyan
Hosts
- Hovik Manucharyan
- Asbed Bedrossian
Website:
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