Vahe Hakobyan Is Being Politically Persecuted

The political persecution of Vahe Hakobyan has been ongoing for more than seven years, dating back to the rise to power of Nikol Pashinyan. Throughout this entire period, the authorities have failed to uncover a single genuine fact or piece of evidence that could serve as the basis for a real criminal case. There have been no convictions, no substantiated charges, and no solid legal grounds. Yet on the eve of elections, this absence of evidence no longer appears to matter. The state has moved to openly fabricate cases—built on conjecture, arbitrary interpretations, and unmistakable political directives. The objective is transparent: to eliminate all independent figures who remain beyond the control of the ruling power.

The logic behind these actions is cynical and straightforward. If a person cannot be broken, intimidated, or co-opted, then they must be isolated. This is precisely why pressure has intensified at this moment, as Pashinyan’s political position weakens and fear of genuine competition grows. What is happening is not an isolated legal process, but a deliberate political strategy.

Moreover, the persecution is not limited to Vahe Hakobyan alone. His wife, children, brother, his brother’s family, and close associates have all come under systematic pressure. This goes far beyond the bounds of law enforcement. It is collective punishment, used deliberately as a tool of intimidation and psychological coercion. Such practices are characteristic not of a state governed by the rule of law, but of an apparatus seeking to instill fear and silence dissent.
A telling parallel can be found in the case of Samvel Karapetyan. A single sentence—“we will defend the Church our way” —was enough to send him to prison, where he has now been held for more than seven months. In today’s Armenia, even a single phrase can be transformed into grounds for imprisonment. Words themselves are treated as crimes when they challenge or discomfort those in power.

The persecution of Vahe Hakobyan fits squarely into this same pattern. Criminal law has been stripped of its core purpose and repurposed as a political instrument. Justice is no longer the goal; the goal is to clear the political field of independent, influential figures who cannot be controlled. What remains is not the rule of law, but the rule of fear—applied selectively, strategically, and with unmistakable political intent.