Armenia launches criminal case against blogger Mika Badalyan

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has said it has obtained sufficient factual evidence regarding alleged cases of vote-buying involving Russia-based blogger Mika Badalyan, described in the statement as “revanchist.”

The committee noted that a criminal case has been opened over the alleged offering of electoral bribes to Armenian citizens living in Russia in the form of promises of services and other benefits in exchange for participation in upcoming elections to the National Assembly of Armenia, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

The committee further stressed that it is taking all legally required measures to identify citizens living abroad who allegedly received electoral bribes, as well as to apply appropriate legal measures against them.

It also urged citizens who may have received electoral bribes or have information about such offers to cooperate with investigators by providing relevant details and circumstances, and to refrain from any actions related to vote-buying or interference in free electoral expression.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov