In Armenia, members of a pro-Russian party have again been detained on suspicion of vote-buying
Armenia's Anti-Corruption Committee has uncovered new cases of vote-buying by representatives of the opposition party "Strong Armenia," led by Russian oligarch Samvel Karapetyan.
Investigators allege that voters were offered money in exchange for votes for the party in the upcoming parliamentary elections, as well as for participating in rallies. Searches have been conducted as part of the investigation, and five individuals have been detained.
Earlier, on April 16, five more members of "Strong Armenia" were placed under house arrest on similar charges. The party's leader, Samvel Karapetyan, previously accused of calling for the overthrow of the constitutional order and economic crimes, is also under house arrest in Yerevan.
Among the political forces running in the upcoming elections, "Strong Armenia" is considered one of the most pro-Russian, along with "Armenia" led by former President Robert Kocharyan and "Prosperous Armenia" led by MP and businessman Gagik Tsarukyan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously spoke out against these parties' entry into parliament.
