Armenia: Opposition leader arrested for vote buying

(Patria) – Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Armenian opposition and one of the richest businessmen in the country, has been in custody since Friday, awaiting trial on charges of buying votes for the 2017 parliamentary elections.

Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia party, the second largest party in parliament, denied the allegations, accusing in turn that it is a political lynching.

His parliamentary immunity was revoked in June, opening the possibility for arrest. Members of the National Security Service raided his home on Friday and questioned him before his arrest and detention.

His arrest was ordered by the Basic Court in Yerevan on suspicion of knowingly committing an offense in the context of the 2017 elections.

The Prosperous Armenia party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, and the new Homeland party led by former national security chief Artur Vanetsyan, have announced mass protests for October 8 due to dissatisfaction with the current government.

Tsarukyan's party won 26 out of 132 seats in the early parliamentary elections in December 2018, following the revolution.

Armenia has been significantly weakened by the coronavirus epidemic – at least 48,643 cases and 947 deaths have been recorded, making it the hardest-hit country in the South Caucasus region.

The economy will face a contraction of 6.2% this year, neutralizing last year's growth of 7.6%, reports the British Guardian.