Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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Five people have been arrested in Armenia over an alleged election-related bribery scheme tied to Russian–Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan and his Strong Armenia party, which has denied the accusations, AzerNEWS reports.

The Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia said it had obtained “factual data” suggesting that a group planned to distribute electoral bribes to ensure participation in the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7 and to secure votes in favor of a specific political force.

According to investigators, the scheme dates back to 2025, when an office of the Our Way NGO was opened in the town of Metsamor, located in Armavir Province. Organizers allegedly registered local residents in the NGO and tasked them with recruiting voters to support the Strong Armenia party.

Authorities claim that payments were disguised as salaries and planned to be distributed in stages to conceal their purpose. Among the alleged conditions for participation were having a large family, a broad social network, and voter eligibility.

The committee also accused individuals linked to the party of distributing money to residents under the guise of charitable assistance for medical expenses between February and March 2026, despite legal restrictions on such activities during the pre-election period.

Law enforcement bodies reported conducting dozens of searches, leading to the arrest of five individuals and the launch of a criminal case under relevant charges. Officials also pledged continued monitoring of organizations connected to political parties to prevent electoral violations.

The Strong Armenia party rejected the allegations, claiming that the evidence, including reportedly recorded phone conversations, was fabricated and that law enforcement agencies are being used as political tools by the authorities.