RT editor calls for entry ban on Pashinyan supporters

PanARMENIAN.Net - RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan has claimed that it is possible to identify people who voted for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the parliamentary elections held in Armenia on June 7 through social media activity.

She specifically stated that Armenian citizens who voted for Pashinyan in the elections should be barred from entering Russia, Factor.am reported.

“I propose identifying them through social networks. Today it is very easy to do. Border guards do it easily at the border. Both here and in Georgia. Try going to Georgia: if you have written something there about Abkhazia or Ossetia, they will not let you enter, right? Identify those Armenians who support Pashinyan through social media. That’s it — entry to the Russian Federation should be prohibited. Forever. Because if you support Pashinyan, then you support Russophobia. If you support Russophobia, then you hate Russia,” Simonyan said.

On June 14, the final results of the June 7 parliamentary elections were published. Civil Contract received 726,819 votes, or 49.7456 percent. Strong Armenia received 340,006 votes, or 23.2710 percent, while the Hayastan Alliance secured 144,983 votes, or 9.9231 percent. The Prosperous Armenia Party failed to clear the 4 percent threshold, receiving 58,287 votes, or 3.9893 percent.

Civil Contract will hold 64 seats in parliament, including three allocated to representatives of national minorities. The Strong Armenia party will have 29 seats, including one seat for an Assyrian representative, while the Armenia Alliance will hold 12 seats.