Criminal Proceeding Initiated regarding Statement of Foreign Intelligence Service about Pressure Exerted on RA Citizens and Interference in Upcoming Electoral Processes
On March 10, 2026, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Armenia issued a statement regarding the pressure exerted on Armenian citizens in other countries and interference in the upcoming electoral processes.
Pursuant to the report on crime based on the statement, received from the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs, during the exercise of operational-intelligence powers, factual information was obtained on the allegation that the free exercise of individuals’ electoral rights is obstructed by means of material inducement by certain leaders, officials, or other actors of some political parties in the political sphere of the Republic of Armenia: namely, by presenting themselves as representatives of the special services of another country, various role-players, including major businessmen of another country, leaders of the Armenian community, and criminal authorities, exert pressure on individuals of Armenian origin who are RA citizens and engaged in economic activities abroad. They push these individuals to carry out actions in support of political parties that have declared their participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia. In return, they promise, under various pretexts, to organize their transfer from the foreign country to the Republic of Armenia, reimburse travel expenses, and cover accommodation costs during their stay in Armenia, thereby using material or other forms of dependency to coerce individuals into participating in the election.
A criminal case was initiated with regard to the case in the Department for Investigation of General and Election-Related Crimes of General Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee according to the Points 3 and 6 of the Part 2 of the Article 210 and the Point 3 of the Part 3 of the same Article of RA Criminal Code.
Necessary evidentiary and procedural actions are conducted to find out the whole range of circumstances of the case, as well as to implement the principle of inevitability of criminal liability.
The RA Investigative Committee urges to refrain from obstructing the free exercise of citizens’ electoral rights and warns that all necessary measures will be taken, using the full range of instruments permitted by law, to neutralize any possible criminal manifestations.
