A vote-buying scheme has been uncovered in Armenia’s Armavir region, orchestrated by the “Strong Armenia” party led by businessman Samvel Karapetyan. Authorities have opened a criminal case and detained five individuals following investigations by the Anti-Corruption Committee. The scheme involved disguising payments to voters as salaries or charitable aid, with the intention of securing their votes for the “Strong Armenia” party.
Audio recordings released by the Committee support these accusations. Representatives of “Strong Armenia” deny the allegations, asserting that the party is the leading opposition force in Armenia and enjoys widespread support. The party nominated Karapetyan as prime minister, despite restrictions due to his dual citizenship.
Concerns have been raised about potential Russian influence, with the Foreign Intelligence Service issuing a statement and civil society representatives pointing to Russia. The operation involved recruiting individuals with “large families and wide social networks” to distribute bribes, utilizing an NGO called “In our own way,” formally registering local residents as employees. Payments were presented as “charity,” despite a legal prohibition on such activity during the pre-election period.
The name of the NGO mirrors a movement linked to Karapetyan’s supporters following his arrest. Armenian law criminalizes offering, receiving, or facilitating election bribes, carrying potential prison sentences of up to eight years. The “Strong Armenia” party claims the arrests are a “political persecution,” highlighting the unlawful detention of Karapetyan.
They argue the situation is a “poorly made film” and that the government is unfairly targeting their movement. The goal is to ensure participation and a vote for the party, with the intention of preventing any disruption to the election process. The Anti-Corruption Committee urges citizens to remain vigilant against such crimes.
Topics: #armenia #vote #buying
