Protest targets EU over political prisoners in Armenia

Members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s Nikol Aghbalyan Student Union on Monday staged a protest outside the EU Delegation office in Yerevan, accusing the EU of failing to respond to political repression in Armenia.

Chanting slogans such as “Freedom to political prisoners” and “European values in real life, not on paper”, the protesters stated the EU had become silent on human rights issues in Armenia since 2018. They claimed that while the EU had previously criticized violations of democracy and justice, it was now overlooking politically motivated prosecutions in Armenia.

Protesters stated that Armenia operates a system of “selective justice”, saying opposition figures, local officials, clergymen and public figures were being held in prolonged pre-trial detention and denied fair trials.

The demonstrators also criticized the EU’s stance on Armenians prisoners held in Azerbaijan, arguing that human rights standards were being applied inconsistently. They called on the EU to formally acknowledge the existence of political prisoners in Armenia, raise specific cases in EU–Armenia talks, demand their release and take a clearer position on Armenians illegally held in Baku.