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YEREVAN: Armenian authorities arrested six candidates for a pro-Russian opposition party on Saturday, a day before they were due to stand in general elections, state media reported, without giving any reason for the detentions.
The report said they were from the Strong Armenia party, led by Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who is under house arrest on charges of calling for the overthrow of the government — accusations he rejects as politically motivated.
Armenia’s relationship with traditional patron Russia has emerged as a central electoral issue. Moscow has slapped restrictions on Armenian exports in recent weeks in response to Yerevan’s warming relationship with the West.
Around 2.4 million Armenians will be eligible to cast their ballots in Sunday’s election, which is also seen as a test of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s efforts to forge peace with longtime foe Azerbaijan.
