The decision demanded by prosecutors was announced during a second court hearing in Karapetian’s high-profile trial that began on Wednesday nearly ten months after his arrest.
The hearing came as hundreds of his supporters rallied outside the court building, chanting “Samvel Prime Minister!” and “Freedom!” Some of them jostled with riot police at one point. At least 17 protesters were detained as a result.
As he was escorted out of the courtroom, Karapetian, who was allowed by the court to give interviews to media, claimed the extension of his house arrest shows that the Armenian authorities are “afraid” of him. Speaking to journalists, he also said he is fully confident about his Strong Armenia party’s victory in the elections scheduled for June 7.
Strong Armenia is now regarded as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s number one opposition challenger. Fourteen more members and supporters of the party were arrested on Thursday on vote buying charges rejected by Karapetian’s associates as politically motivated. They claimed that the authorities may be preparing the ground for the party’s disqualification from the polls.
Armenia - Samvel Karapetian arrives in court, April 17, 2026.
Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly warned Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian against such a ban on this or other “pro-Russian” opposition groups during their April 1 talks in Moscow. Karapetian has mostly lived in Russia since the early 1990s, making a fortune there estimated by the Forbes magazine at over $4 billion.
The tycoon on Wednesday dismissed Pashinian allies’ implicit claims that he is acting on the Kremlin’s orders.
“Russia only guides Pashinian,” he said. “I am guided by the Armenian people.”
Karapetian was arrested last June hours after condemning Pashinian’s attempts to depose the top clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and vowing to defend it “in our way.” The statement provoked a series of furious social media posts by Pashinian, who pledged to “deactivate” him.
Karapetian was initially accused of calling for a violent overthrow of the government. Law-enforcement authorities also charged him with tax evasion, fraud and money laundering in July after he announced plans to challenge Pashinian in the June 2026 elections. He strongly denies all charges.
The 60-year-old had never showed an interest in political activities before his arrest. He said on Wednesday that the “injustices” against the church and himself forced him to enter Armenian politics.