Armenia’s Gyumri Erupts in Protest After Mayor’s Arrest on Bribery Charges

In Armenia’s second-largest city early Monday masked special forces entered Gyumri City Hall, detaining opposition mayor Vardan Ghukasyan and several other officials. The operation, carried out under the direction of the Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC), has sparked widespread outrage among residents and opposition groups, who denounce the move as a political crackdown by the Pashinyan government.

Police in Armenia’s second-largest city, Gyumri, detained Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan on bribery charges, sparking immediate protests outside city hall. Demonstrators gathered as law enforcement escorted the mayor from his office, accusing authorities of politically motivated persecution.

According to Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee, Ghukasyan and several officials are suspected of demanding a bribe of around $10,000 in exchange for falsifying documents to protect an illegally constructed building from demolition. In total, eight individuals, including the city’s chief architect, were arrested in connection with the case.

The arrest comes amid heightened political tensions ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections. Ghukasyan is a known ally of former president Robert Kocharyan, a pro-Russian opposition leader. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government, which rose to power in 2018 on an anti-corruption platform, has faced criticism from opponents who claim the crackdown disproportionately targets political rivals.

Protests in Gyumri quickly escalated, with dozens detained as demonstrators clashed with security forces. Authorities have since opened investigations into what they described as “mass riots” following the unrest.

The case highlights Armenia’s deepening political divide, as anti-corruption efforts collide with accusations of selective justice in the run-up to national elections.