NDP council urges immediate resumption of Armat Media operations

ArmInfo. The Council of the National Democratic Pole (Bever) Party has demanded the immediate reinstatement of the normal operations of Armat Media, an outlet  affiliated with the team of "Strong Armenia" party leader Samvel  Karapetyan.

As mentioned in the party's statement received by ArmInfo, on June 5,  2026, just two days before the parliamentary elections in Armenia,  law enforcement agencies raided the office of Armat Media, conducted  searches, seized property and employees' phones, and then sealed the  agency's premises, effectively suspending its operations. "Although  the NDP party disagrees with the 'Strong Armenia' political force on  many issues, it nevertheless condemns the authorities' actions in  this case. The issue here is not one of political sympathy or  antipathy, but of principle. The de facto closure of a news agency  immediately before parliamentary elections is a serious blow to the  electoral process and press freedom, regardless of the agency's  political stance or the legal status of its owner," the political  force's Council stated.

In this regard, the NDP Party Council demanded that the normal  operations of Armat Media be immediately restored, that seized  equipment and employees' phones be returned unless their retention is  absolutely necessary for the investigation, and that conditions be  ensured under which no criminal case will be used as a tool to  restrict the activities of a news agency or influence the electoral  process.  .Furthermore, the party council called on Armenia's Human  Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan, the Central Electoral Commission  (CEC), the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission, as well as  diplomatic  missions accredited in Armenia, to immediately address the incident. 

"Democracy is measured not by protecting the rights of forces that  support the government, but by protecting the rights of forces that  criticize it. The NDP Party Council reaffirms its conviction that a  free press, equal conditions for political competition, and the rule  of law are the fundamental pillars of the sovereignty and democracy  of the Republic of Armenia. Faith, Homeland, and Sovereignty. Armenia  is not up for bargain," the NDP Council concluded.