During a parliamentary session, Artsvik Minasyan, secretary of the Armenia faction, claimed that in 2024 alone, the number of prosecutorial motions for detention increased by 242 compared to the previous year.

In this context, he questioned Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan, asking her to cite even a single case where the prosecution had exercised its authority to request the removal of detention for an individual with anti-government views.

“Can you recall even a few cases where the prosecution petitioned to lift detention for an opposition figure?” he asked.

Vardapetyan responded that there were approximately 400 instances where preventive measures were replaced with bail or personal guarantees, according to Panorama.am .

Minasyan also raised concerns about a series of indicators he finds troubling, particularly pointing to a rise in serious crimes and drug trafficking. He stated that in 2024, cases of especially grave crimes rose by 422, while drug smuggling cases had doubled.

“There are 431 criminal proceedings, 30% of which have been returned for additional investigation by the prosecution, potentially representing wasteful use of public resources,” Minasyan emphasized.

He also inquired whether the Prosecutor’s Office maintains separate statistics on hate speech against Artsakh residents or on proceedings related to denial of the Armenian Genocide.

Vardapetyan said no separate statistics are kept for such cases.

Minasyan expressed his dismay, arguing that the aim of such legal provisions is to ensure oversight and public awareness. Without accessible data, society cannot assess whether the prosecution is actively addressing these issues.