In a live Facebook broadcast, Artak Avetisian, a resident of Yerevan’s southern Shengavit district, lashed out at Pashinian as the latter campaigned there on May 12. Avetisian was arrested from his home shortly afterwards.
Armenia’s Investigative Committee initially charged Avetisian with disseminating hate speech after its officers searched his house. The charge was changed to one of grave “hooliganism” before he went on trial this week. The court found him not guilty of it.
Avetisian continued to deny the accusation during the trial. Ruben Melikian, a prominent pro-opposition lawyer representing him, likewise insisted that his client did not break any laws. Melikian also said that the criminal case is part of a government crackdown on Pashinian’s vocal critics.
One of those critics was arrested and charged with hooliganism in February two months after posting an offensive video about Pashinian on the TikTok platform. Another citizen, a 55-year-old woman from the northwestern town of Akhurian, was prosecuted around the same time for reportedly making a disparaging statement about the prime minister and his family in a private message sent online.
No Pashinian supporters have been prosecuted for offending or voicing threats against opposition politicians. Pashinian himself publicly insulted the fugitive son of one of his main election challengers, Gagik Tsarukian, during his campaign trip to Shengavit.