Armenian officials detained on charges of inciting protests

The Investigative Committee of Armenia reported the arrest of three Gyumri mayor's office employees. They are accused of coercing citizens into participating in a protest in support of the arrested mayor, Vardan Ghukasyan.

According to the agency, the officials instructed their subordinates to bring the directors of the city's kindergartens and their staff to the mayor's office in order to prevent Ghukasyan's arrest.

The mayor of Gyumri was detained by law enforcement on October 20 on charges of bribery. The following day, an anti-corruption court sentenced him to two months' detention. Following this, people who had gathered near the building staged a protest. A total of 13 participants in the mass unrest have been remanded in custody. One of the detainees, a minor, has been placed under house arrest.

Последние новости
Rauf Arashukov denied compensation for violation of his domestic rights in prison
Society
Rauf Arashukov denied compensation for violation of his domestic rights in prison
30 April 2026

Another lawsuit filed by former Senator Rauf Arashukov of the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic, sentenced to life imprisonment in the Black Dolphin prison colony, was dismissed by a court in the Orenburg region. The convict sought 100,000 rubles for moral damages related to incomplete food distribution.

The Assembly of the Council of Europe called on the Azerbaijani authorities to release Anar Mammadli
Human rights
The Assembly of the Council of Europe called on the Azerbaijani authorities to release Anar Mammadli
30 April 2026

As the second anniversary of the arrest of human rights activist Anar Mammadli approaches, Azadeh Rojan, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) General Rapporteur on political prisoners, called on Azerbaijan to release him. Rojan stated that the numerous charges, according to PACE, are retaliatory measures for Mammadli's civic activism, independent election monitoring, and cooperation with international organizations.

Society
"Half of Ossetia at War": A Demographic Catastrophe Inside Russia
30 April 2026

A large-scale investigation published by TRT in Russian lays bare the human cost of Russia's war in Ukraine for the Republic of North Ossetia—a small region with a population of approximately 700,000, where, according to figures presented at a meeting of an internal, interdepartmental, government commission, between 43,000 and 45,000 people took part in the fighting.

Armenian human rights activists call on the EU to facilitate the return of prisoners from Baku
Human rights
Armenian human rights activists call on the EU to facilitate the return of prisoners from Baku
30 April 2026

Nearly three dozen Armenian human rights and civil society organizations have sent an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa calling for the release of Armenian prisoners held in Baku. The letter was published on the eve of the 8th European Political Community Summit and the Armenia-European Union meeting, scheduled to take place in Armenia.