The Wings of Unity alliance has been monitoring the pre-election campaign for the Vagharshapat municipal council’s snap elections, analyzing over 400 reports from the media and social networks between October 22 and November 2.
According to the group, more than 20 violations have been identified, most linked to the ruling Civil Contract party. Other participating forces were involved in isolated or non-recurring incidents.
The report claims that authorities have used legal provisions on obstructing campaigning to target unwanted individuals, rather than to ensure fair elections.
Key findings include:
- Violation of charity ban — Civil Contract
- Use of public officials in campaigning during working hours — including the governor of Armavir and ministers (Civil Contract)
- Campaigning by community servants and election commission members — Civil Contract, Homeland party
- Improper printed campaign materials in violation of Article 21 of the Electoral Code — Republic, Mother Armenia, Victory alliance
- Placing printed materials in unauthorized locations — same as above
- Destruction or removal of posters and printed campaign materials
Such actions fall under Armenia’s Code of Administrative Offenses (Articles 40.8, 40.11, and 40.19) and Criminal Code (Article 221).
The Prosecutor General’s Office has already referred a charity event organized by Civil Contract in the village of Doghs to the Anti-Corruption Committee for investigation.
The report also condemned offensive comments against Armenian Church clergy and public posts about church property made during the campaign.
It further criticized the criminal prosecution of the brother of Catholicos Karekin II, Gevorg Nersisyan, and his son Hambardzum Nersisyan, which reportedly stemmed from a Facebook post by a candidate. The report called the resulting detention under Article 211 of the Criminal Code — “obstructing campaigning” — unacceptable.
The initiative reminded that Vagharshapat is of national importance, as it hosts the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual and administrative center of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
They argued that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government is pursuing an illegal policy targeting the Church, and that the criminal cases against the Catholicos’s family violate not only legal norms but also political rights.
The group emphasized that criminal prosecution during an election period should be a measure of last resort, and disproportionate legal actions may suppress political expression and participation.
Such pressure may deter candidates from expressing views for fear of retaliation, turning criminal prosecution into a political weapon, they warned.
Ultimately, this undermines both individual political rights and creates a chilling effect, alienating citizens from democratic engagement.
They stressed that violations of political rights are almost impossible to reverse and that authorities must exercise extreme caution when resorting to prosecution or detention during elections.
The local elections in Vagharshapat are scheduled for November 16.
