The Hayakve national civic union has demanded from the Central Electoral Commission that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s participation in the 2026 parliamentary elections as a candidate on the proportional list of the Civil Contract party be revoked on grounds of gross abuse of official powers and incitement to violence.
“While officially on leave and having no official authority, Nikol Pashinyan on May 20 directly instructed Armenia’s National Security Service during an election rally to initiate criminal prosecution against Andranik Tevanyan, chairman of the Mother Armenia party and No. 2 on the Prosperous Armenia party’s proportional list. This is one of the most flagrant violations of free and fair elections in the history of the Republic of Armenia and openly calls into question the authorities’ ability to hold free and fair elections.
The Hayakve national civic union strongly condemns this crude attempt at political retaliation and notes that the head of the ruling regime is grossly abusing his official position, thereby calling into question the legality of the entire electoral process,” the statement said.
The organization called on law enforcement agencies, courts and the Central Electoral Commission not to yield to what it described as the “obviously illegal and anti-state pressure” of the current authorities and to administer justice in strict compliance with the Constitution and laws.
The election campaign that began on May 8 will continue until June 5. June 6 will be a day of silence, while the elections will be held on June 7.
