Arrests made over alleged vote-buying scheme

PanARMENIAN.Net - Five people have been detained in Armenia’s Armavir region as part of a criminal investigation into alleged vote buying presented as salaries, the Anti-Corruption Committee reported.

According to the committee, searches conducted at the office of the Mer Dzevov NGO in Metsamor led to the initiation of criminal proceedings on charges of disguising bribes as wages and violating restrictions on charity during the election period.

Authorities said they obtained factual evidence that a group of individuals, acting by prior agreement, aimed to provide bribes to residents of Armavir province in order to ensure their participation in the June 7, 2026, parliamentary elections and their vote in favor of a specific political party.

To implement the scheme, the group allegedly opened an NGO office in Metsamor and formally enrolled various residents of the region into the organization during 2025–2026, assigning them to recruit voters who would support the Strong Armenia party. The promised and phased payments were reportedly presented as salaries to conceal their true purpose and reduce the risk of detection.

It was also established that key conditions for being “employed” by the organization included having a large family, a wide social circle, and being an eligible voter.

In addition, investigators said that after the presidential decree calling parliamentary elections entered into force on February 7, 2026, a group of individuals violated legal restrictions on charity by providing financial assistance in February–March to cover the medical expenses of voters on behalf of the Strong Armenia party.

A criminal case has been launched under relevant articles of Armenia’s Criminal Code, around ten searches have been carried out, and five individuals have been detained, the statement said.

The Anti-Corruption Committee urged the public to refrain from offering or accepting election bribes in any form and to respect restrictions on charitable activities during the electoral period. Citizens were also called on not to engage in electoral violations or suspicious activities, including accepting payments without actual work.

The committee added that, given the existence of such schemes, it will continue monitoring to identify individuals involved in organizations linked to political forces participating in elections who may be connected to electoral violations.

A recording related to the case has also been released by the committee.