The Together socio-political alternative movement has issued a statement declaring that “2026 marks a turning point in the crisis affecting Armenia’s democratic systems, particularly its electoral institutions.”
The movement called for action to prevent Armenian citizens from being deprived of their voting rights.
“Our assessment has also been reflected in an alarming report by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). A large part of Armenian society and its institutions is convinced that the mandates of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PPA) were arbitrarily nullified when repeat elections were not called at polling stations where the results had apparently been deemed disputed, effectively violating Armenian citizens’ constitutional right to participate in elections.
“This October and November, local government elections are being held in Armenia. In numerous communities, opposition candidates have not been nominated, and the reason is obvious: local political figures have already witnessed examples of harsh pressure exerted through government levers, as well as arbitrary decisions by law enforcement and judicial systems directed by the executive branch. As a result, many opposition local government figures, including those who were elected and declared winners in elections, are now in detention facilities or caught up in endless court proceedings. Consequently, others prefer to stay away from elections that ultimately change nothing.
“The Together socio-political alternative movement notes with deep concern that Armenian citizens have lost faith in the impartiality and effectiveness of the country’s electoral system. For a state proclaimed a ‘bastion of democracy,’ this represents an absolute disgrace and failure.
“One of the latest acts in the violent ‘death’ of democratic electoral processes in Armenia is the arrest and subsequent detention of Arsen Gevorgyan, the Strong Armenia party’s candidate for mayor of Stepanavan, and 13 of his supporters, just four days before election day, on the now-routine charge of ‘distributing electoral bribes.’
“In Armenia, as Prime Minister Pashinyan apparently believes, citizens who have voted or will vote for the opposition are ‘vote sellers,’ opposition figures are ‘bribe givers,’ and only votes cast for the Civil Contract party are ‘legitimate,'” the statement reads.
The Together movement demanded that the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), the Anti-Corruption Committee and the entire law enforcement system “break the vicious chain and return to their constitutional duties, remembering that individuals with dictatorial tendencies are temporary, while the law and democratic systems of governance are enduring.”
“We must not allow Armenian citizens to be deprived of their voting rights. We must put an end to the unprecedented wave of repression against opposition figures. Together is convinced that the international community must not turn a blind eye to the Civil Contract government’s takeover of Armenia’s electoral system for the sake of certain geopolitical considerations,” the statement says.
Local government elections are scheduled to take place in several Armenian communities in October and November.
