Morning searches at the homes of members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation “Dashnaktsutyun” (ARF) and subsequent detentions have become another escalation of tension in Armenia’s domestic political life. The Yerevan Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case under articles related to the preparation of a terrorist act and illegal arms trafficking. During large-scale investigative actions, authorities seized electro-detonators, combat grenades, fuses, gunpowder, and radio equipment—items that, according to the investigation, may indicate terrorist preparations.
Searches and Detentions at ARF “Dashnaktsutyun” Raise Serious Questions
However, statements from ARF deputies and representatives cast doubt on the objectivity of these actions. Deputy Gegham Manukyan reported the confiscation of his phone and computer without explanation, in violation of parliamentary immunity, as well as the detention of his son and young party activists without legal grounds. Particular attention was drawn to the seizure of items intended for airsoft games, which the investigation classified as combat weapons, and the publication of a photo of a T-shirt bearing the party slogan “Freedom or Death,” presented as evidence of terrorist activity.
ARF representatives categorically reject the accusations, stating that the seized weapons are legal and most items are replicas for sports games, as confirmed by the contents of a “grenade” filled with airsoft pellets. In her commentary, Deputy Kristine Vardanyan called the published evidence “absurd” and noted that such actions raise concerns about political persecution.
The situation with the ARF searches and detentions aligns with the broader context of Armenia’s domestic political crisis. Accusations of using law enforcement to pressure political opponents have been repeatedly voiced, causing concern among the public and international observers. The Armenian opposition and human rights advocates view these events as an attempt to intimidate and suppress dissent.
Political Pressure Under the Guise of Fighting Terrorism
Lawyer and deputy from the “Armenia” bloc faction Elinar Vardanyan stated that today’s law enforcement actions are a continuation of the criminal case regarding the so-called preparation of a terrorist act, which has been discussed for the past two weeks. According to her, the opposition anticipated such developments, as the authorities appear to be making significant efforts to implicate active ARF “Dashnaktsutyun” members in this case.
“We have serious concerns that this will not only involve new detentions and arrests but also specific actions against ARF ‘Dashnaktsutyun’ as a whole,” Vardanyan declared.
The deputy’s concerns are not unfounded: on the same day, Asmik Hakobyan, a deputy from the ruling party, violated the principle of presumption of innocence by accusing ARF members of terrorism and publicly calling for the party’s ban. “I believe it is time to shut down ARF ‘Dashnaktsutyun’ again and recognize it as a terrorist organization,” she wrote on her social media page.
In response, Vardanyan emphasized that the actions law enforcement qualifies as preparation for a terrorist act lack any legal basis: “From neither a legal nor any other perspective do they even remotely align with such a serious crime as terrorism. These people are far removed from understanding legality and justice.”
According to the deputy, the events are part of a large-scale political campaign aimed at suppressing active opposition centers ahead of developments expected in the near future. This could also involve fulfilling new “verbal agreements” between Pashinyan and Aliyev, she suggested.