Discussion participants in Yerevan reported an increase in political repression in the country.

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The independent public initiative "Committee 26" held a discussion dedicated to the death of Arsen Gevorgyan. Participants in the discussion demanded an independent investigation and accountability for those responsible, as well as stated about political repression in Armenia and violations of the rights of prisoners.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on November 10, Arsen Gevorgyan (also mentioned in the media as Gevorkyan, - note from "Caucasian Knot"), a candidate from the opposition party "Strong Armenia" for the head of the Stepanavan community, died in the Yerevan detention center "Nubarashen". He was arrested on October 21 on charges of bribing voters, which he denied. According to preliminary reports, the cause of death was a heart attack, while the party blamed the initiators of the criminal prosecution of opposition members for what happened. Previously, he did not complain about his health.

"Committee 26" issued a statement on November 11, and on November 12 organized a discussion in Yerevan in connection with the death of the head of the Stepanavan community Arsen Gevorgyan.

"The death of Arsen Gevorgyan raises serious questions about the provision of safety and medical assistance to prisoners, supervision in penitentiary institutions, and the accountability of state bodies. Protecting the life and health of persons in custody is a direct obligation of the state," the document states, which is available to "Caucasian Knot".

The Committee also draws attention to previous cases of prisoner deaths. In particular, "Armen Grigoryan, who died on July 15, 2022, in the courtroom during detention, and Armen Ovanisyan, who died on May 16, 2026, in the National Center for Mental Health Protection "Nubarashen"."

"Incomplete investigation of such cases and the lack of accountability for those responsible contribute to the formation of an atmosphere of impunity," the statement of "Committee 26" says.

Using criminal prosecution and detention to limit political competition, intimidate citizens, and suppress opponents contradicts the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

The initiative emphasizes that "using criminal prosecution and detention to limit political competition, intimidate citizens, and suppress opponents contradicts the principles of democracy and the rule of law," and that "those involved in such actions should be held accountable, including judges, prosecutors, and other officials."

"Committee 26" demands to conduct "an independent, impartial, and comprehensive investigation into the death of Arsen Gevorgyan, examine previous cases of prisoner deaths, and provide a legal assessment of the possible responsibility of state officials, check the legality of the actions of judges, prosecutors, and others involved in politically motivated prosecutions and unjustified arrests, stop political persecutions, review unjustified detention decisions, and ensure conditions for free and equal political competition." "Committee 26" also calls for "ensuring the rule of law, independence of justice, accountability of state bodies, and unconditional protection of fundamental human rights."

Political opposition is effectively equated with criminal activity.

The moderator of the discussion, co-founder of "Committee 26", political scientist Stepan Danielyan, opening the event noted that "in Armenia, cases of politically motivated persecutions, detentions, and arrests have increased, creating a dangerous situation where political activity itself is effectively viewed by the authorities as a crime, and mechanisms of criminal prosecution are used to pressure opponents."

"Particular concern is raised by the fact that political motives, in our assessment, are already directly reflected in criminal charges. This creates a dangerous precedent where political opposition is effectively equated with criminal activity," the political scientist noted.

The consequences of such persecutions affect not only the detainees themselves but also their families.

He noted that "historical experience shows that repressive mechanisms over time expand the circle of their victims," "persecutions may begin with political figures but gradually affect people unrelated to politics." "Society must not remain indifferent. The consequences of such persecutions affect not only the detainees themselves but also their families. Children, in particular, suffer greatly, as they witness armed law enforcement officers invading homes and detaining parents. There have been cases where children required psychological help. This is no longer just a matter of parents' rights but also violations of minors' rights, who suffer psychological trauma," Danielyan noted.

He noted that "it is important to understand that such violations can occur not only during detentions and arrests but also through legislative initiatives that restrict citizens' rights. "Our task is to draw attention to these processes and prevent further expansion of the practice of political persecution," the political scientist said.

Political and public figure Anna Kostanyan noted that "the death of Arsen Gevorgyan has become another alarming signal about the situation regarding the protection of the rights of people in custody, including those persecuted for political reasons." "This is not the first such case. We remember the death of director and producer Armen Grigoryan during a court session, as well as the death of Meger Egiazaryan, who went on hunger strike and repeatedly signaled health problems. Despite warnings from lawyers and the public, there was no necessary response," Kostanyan added.

According to her, "particular concern is raised by the attitude of high-ranking officials towards issues of prisoner detention and provision of medical assistance - instead of substantive responses to public concerns, statements are sometimes made that demonstrate disregard for the problem." "Moreover, detention, in my assessment, regarding certain political figures is effectively used as a tool of punishment for their views and disagreement with the policies of the current authorities. This is unacceptable. It is necessary to ensure independent public oversight of the investigation into the death of Arsen Gevorgyan. Civil society and independent experts must strive for the publication of expert results, preservation of video surveillance records, and all other evidence that may be relevant to establishing the circumstances of what happened," the activist said.

Armenia is effectively turning into a large prison for people holding opposition political views.

She expressed the opinion that "Armenia is effectively turning into a large prison for people holding opposition political views, which should be a worrying signal for the international community; measures must be taken to stop this practice and prevent new tragedies."

Violations of the rights and freedoms of citizens in Armenia have become systematic.

"Treatment of people deprived of liberty cannot remain solely at the discretion of the government or individual state bodies. The state is obliged to comply with international standards for the protection of prisoners' rights, in particular the Nelson Mandela Rules adopted by the UN in 2015. They establish uniform requirements for conditions of detention, medical assistance, and protection of human dignity regardless of a person's status and the charges against them. International practice, including decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, confirms: the state is obliged not only to establish the circumstances of prisoners' deaths but also to ensure effective investigation, accountability of responsible officials, and compensation for the affected party. Therefore, the circumstances of Arsen Gevorgyan's death require a comprehensive investigation. According to published materials, almost an hour passed between the receipt of information about the deterioration of his condition and the arrival of the ambulance. This time interval must also receive a legal assessment," said former Ombudsman of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan during the discussion.

She emphasized that "it is necessary to investigate not only the death of Arsen Gevorgyan but also previous cases, and all officials whose guilt will be established must be held accountable, regardless of when these events occurred."

The human rights activist stated that she intends to seek a comprehensive investigation and establishment of all circumstances surrounding the death of Arsen Gevorgyan.

The authorities are creating an atmosphere of fear in society to limit civic activity.

Lawyer Anna Mkrtchyan stated that "violations of the rights and freedoms of citizens in Armenia have become systematic." In her assessment, "the authorities are creating an atmosphere of fear in society to limit civic activity and deprive people of the opportunity to openly express their position, defend constitutional rights, and participate in political life."

"The state of the judicial and investigative systems raises serious concern. Their dependence hinders the conduct of objective and independent investigations, creating conditions for impunity. Moreover, representatives of the authorities sometimes publicly declare people guilty even before the investigation and judicial proceedings are completed, forming negative public opinion against them. Public accusations, isolation from society, and harassment on social media. Meanwhile, officials involved in these processes have not been held accountable, and some, on the contrary, have been promoted. Today, the situation is becoming even more alarming. If earlier society faced the threat of arrest and detention, now there are threats of physical reprisals. The current authorities are offering Armenian society a new threat: whether you want it or not - you will be killed," Mkrtchyan stated.

The lawyer noted that "after the death of Arsen Gevorgyan, it is especially important not to allow society's attention to shift to other topics, while the circumstances of what happened remain without proper discussion." "We must keep the memory of all such cases and strive for the restoration of legal mechanisms that will allow us to identify those responsible and hold them accountable," Mkrtchyan said.

International relations and security expert Dziunik Agadzhanyan stated that "one of the harshest methods of achieving political goals is the suppression of freedom of speech and dissent."

"Freedom of expression is an inherent human right and one of the fundamental principles of democracy, enshrined in both international legal documents and the Constitution of Armenia. Detention is effectively turning from a preventive measure into a tool of pressure and punishment for those who do not support the policies of the current authorities and maintain an independent civic position. This trend affects both the state and municipal levels. I do not rule out that similar methods will be applied during the upcoming municipal elections. Their goal is to weaken political competition and limit the opportunities for opposition candidates to participate in elections. Holding elections with a single candidate, in my opinion, indicates serious problems with political competition and pressure on society," the expert noted.

The authorities seek to eliminate obstacles to the implementation of their political course, including obligations to external forces.

According to her, "the authorities seek to eliminate obstacles to the implementation of their political course, including obligations to external forces," and that "people with independent positions and those disagreeing with this course become an obstacle, which is why an atmosphere of fear is being created in society to restrain civic activity."

Touching on the topic of detaining people, Agadzhanyan noted that "detention becomes a tool of psychological and physical pressure, and in some cases acquires signs of treatment equated to torture." "This issue has become particularly acute after the death of Arsen Gevorgyan. A logical question arises: how does a person who entered a penitentiary institution healthy die after three weeks? It is necessary to check not only the quality of medical assistance but also possible obstacles to its timely provision. In particular, it should be established under what circumstances the ambulance crew, according to available information, faced difficulties in trying to enter the institution. A comprehensive and objective investigation must be conducted, all circumstances surrounding the death of Arsen Gevorgyan must be established, and the actions of responsible persons must be legally assessed. This is important not only for clarifying the causes of what happened but also for preventing similar tragedies in the future," Agadzhanyan stated.

Public figure Mariam Chakhoyan noted that "democracy implies the independence of state institutions, protection of human rights, and unconditional adherence to laws, and the authorities must act solely within the law and be accountable for their decisions."

Instead of the expected democratic transformations, society faces an atmosphere of fear and political pressure.

"Instead of the expected democratic transformations, society faces an atmosphere of fear and political pressure. The transparency of electoral processes is also questionable. It is doubtful that under conditions of pressure on political opponents and persecution of opposition representatives, one can speak of full democratic competition and free expression of citizens' will," Chakhoyan said.

She separately touched on the role of women in state and judicial structures, noting that "their presence should contribute to a more humane approach to justice based on the protection of human rights, rehabilitation, and care for people; however, unfortunately, mere representation of women in high positions does not guarantee such an approach."

Political scientist, human rights activist, and public figure Maya Barkhudaryan expressed the opinion that "the prosecutor's office selectively reacts to what is happening: some citizens are detained and taken to investigative units even for minor reasons, while statements from representatives of the authorities that may contain calls for violence and other serious incidents remain without legal assessment."

"The prosecutor's office did not assess a number of statements by Nikol Pashinyan that could provoke the persecution of political opponents. There was no proper response to information about public calls for murder. Questions also arise regarding the use of force by masked individuals who beat citizens and take them to court even in serious condition, including directly from the hospital. The prosecutor's office should investigate such cases and not leave them unattended," the human rights activist said.

She emphasized that "the heads of state structures, the prosecutor's office, and the judicial system, and other agencies must be held accountable for the work of the institutions subordinate to them."

Touching on the topic of deaths in the army, Barkhudaryan stated that "separate responsibility lies with the Ministry of Defense due to the regular deaths of servicemen - if reports of soldiers' deaths come almost every month, this indicates serious problems in organizing service and ensuring safety."

The death of a person in prison cannot be viewed solely as an accident.

Political scientist and public figure Yervand Bozoyan stated in his speech that "the deaths of people in places of deprivation of liberty should be viewed in two aspects: the conditions of detention of prisoners and the politicization of the judicial system." "The death of a person in prison cannot be viewed solely as an accident. If people are held in conditions that threaten their life and health, this requires serious legal assessment and investigation," he noted.

Armenian penitentiary institutions do not meet international standards.

"First of all, Armenian penitentiary institutions do not meet international standards. In several European countries, there are norms that limit the deportation of Armenian citizens to their homeland if there is a risk of their detention in conditions that do not meet international requirements. The practice of pre-trial detention also raises serious concern. According to my data, in about 80% of cases, Armenian courts choose this measure of restraint. At the same time, decisions are often made in favor of the current authorities, including in politically motivated cases. This is a characteristic feature of an authoritarian system. In fact, state structures - the Anti-Corruption Committee, the National Security Service, and the prosecutor's office - act as a single mechanism, turning into a punitive system. The judiciary is also under the influence of the executive power," the political scientist stated.

He noted that "Armenia, proclaiming its commitment to democratic values and striving for EU membership, is practically moving further away from democratic standards." "Traditionally, Armenia was considered a more democratic country than neighboring Azerbaijan, where an authoritarian family rule system has been in place for decades. However, today the situation raises serious questions. According to the statistics I provide, there are about 350 political prisoners in Azerbaijan, which accounts for about 1.5% of the total number of prisoners, in Georgia this figure is about 1%, while in Armenia it reaches 8%. Armenia is effectively moving towards an authoritarian model. Much of what is happening resembles the situation in Turkey, where persecutions affect opposition representatives, including mayors, on charges of corruption," Bozoyan noted.

He noted that "the statements of international structures, including European ones, appear contradictory, as they continue to present Armenia as a democratic country successfully advancing on the path of European integration while simultaneously criticizing Turkey and Georgia, demonstrating double standards in international politics."

The political scientist called on the international community "to closely monitor what is happening in Armenia and provide an objective assessment of the actions of the authorities."