Armenia detains 5 in alleged voter bribery case linked to Karapetyan’s party

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has detained five people, including two placed under arrest, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged voter bribery involving the opposition “Strong Armenia” party, authorities said on June 5.

The committee said the case concerns suspected coordination between party-linked officials in the Kanaker-Zeytun district of Yerevan and associated individuals who allegedly offered or provided electoral inducements to voters ahead of a political process, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

Investigators said they had gathered “factual data” suggesting that individuals responsible for a local party office had acted in coordination with supporters and affiliated groups to promise and distribute voter-related payments.

Searches and other procedural measures have been carried out as part of the investigation, the Anti-Corruption Committee added.

The “Strong Armenia” party is led by Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan. No public response from the party was immediately available regarding the allegations.

By Aghakazim Guliyev