Armenian security forces arrest son of Dashnaktsutyun party member UPDATED

The Armenian National Security Service (NSS) has confiscated the phone of opposition MP Gegham Manukyan and arrested his son, Taron Manukyan.

"Armenia" faction MP Kristine Vardanyan made the announcement, saying searches were also conducted at the homes of Gegham Manukyan, Vahan Matinyan — head of the ARFD Supreme Body apparatus — and Gevork Muradyan, a member of the Egvard enlarged community council and head of the ARFD Armenia Youth Union central administration, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

Additionally, Arsen Martoyan, a member of the Yerevan city committee of the ARFD, was summoned for questioning.

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In the early morning of July 10, officers from Armenia's Investigative Committee and National Security Service conducted a search at the residence of Gegham Manukyan, a member of the opposition "Armenia" faction and representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun party.

The search operation was underway at Manukyan’s home at the time of reporting, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian newspaper Hraparak.

The Armenian ultra-nationalist opposition party Dashnaktsutyun confirmed the incident, adding that similar investigative actions were also being carried out at the residence of Vahagn Matinyan, head of the Supreme Body's staff within the party.

The searches follow a pattern of escalating tensions between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government and opposition figures, particularly those associated with the ARF Dashnaktsutyun and the “Armenia” faction. On July 7–8, the Armenian parliament, dominated by Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party, voted to strip three opposition MPs—Artur Sargsyan, Seyran Ohanyan, and Artsvik Minasyan—of their parliamentary immunity, citing allegations of coup plotting and corruption. Sargsyan was detained after a violent brawl erupted in parliament, while Ohanyan and Minasyan face charges related to a land acquisition scheme from 2008–2016. These actions have been widely criticized as political repression aimed at silencing dissent.

By Khagan Isayev