Thirteen participants in mass protests in Armenia have been arrested

The Investigative Committee of Armenia reported that 13 participants in the mass unrest in the city of Gyumri have been taken into custody. One of the detainees, a minor, has been placed under house arrest.

Earlier, it was reported that lawyer Ruben Mkhitaryan, representing the "Our Way" movement, had been detained, as had Gevorg Ghukasyan, a member of the Communist Party of Armenia faction and the grandnephew of Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan.
The mayor himself has been placed in pretrial detention for two months. His arrest sparked protests in Gyumri. On October 20, supporters of the mayor gathered outside the city administration building to express their support, sparking clashes with law enforcement officers.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia opened a criminal case against Ghukasyan, accusing him of bribery based on intelligence received. Eight people were also detained in connection with this case.

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