Avetik Chalabyan

Chalabyan co-founded National Agenda Party in 2018.^[7] After the 44-day war in 2020, he was involved in a number of opposition movement in Armenia, such as the "Unification" initiative implemented in support of Artsakh. Chalabyan was outspoken^[8] and critical^[9] about supporting^[10] and recognizing Artsakh,^[11] consolidation of Armenian diaspora,^[12] as well as building a stronger defense system^[13] to assure the sovereignty of the state.

Chalabyan criticized the erosion of democratic institutions in Armenia, advocating for an independent judiciary, the rule of law, and the protection of political and economic freedoms. In addition, he has actively supported educational reform, initiating programs to modernize curricula and provide internationally recognized educational opportunities for Armenian students.^[14][15][16]

Chalabyan was arrested on 12 May 2022, within the framework of a criminal case initiated under Article 163, Part 3, Clause 2 of the RA Criminal Code, which envisages liability for offering material interest to participate in a public rally. Judge Arusyak Aleksanyan of the Court of General Jurisdiction in Yerevan granted the investigator's motion to detain Chalabyan as a measure of restraint. The accusation against Chalabyan was based on one edited "secret recording, which is inadmissible evidence in the sense of the RA Criminal Procedure Code, in which Avetik Chalabyan apparently does not claim to offer material interest for participating in rallies."^[17]

"During the face-to-face interrogation the main witness insisted that Avetik Chalabyan had never offered him money or other material interest to participate in the rallies. In these conditions, Avetik Chalabyan was illegally charged, and the latter was arrested by an illegal court decision. It is clear that the arrest of Avetik Chalabyan is of punitive nature", stated Chalabyan's attorney.^[18]

Chalabyan is accused of the act provided for in Article 163, Part 3, Clause 2 of the RA Criminal Code (offering material interest to participate in public rallies).^[19] Judge Armen Danielyan of the Yerevan Court of Criminal Appeals refused to release Chalabyan from prison, upholding a lower court ruling.^[20] "Armenia Investigative Committee possesses facts, evidence proving Avetik Chalabyan's innocence," said the defendant.^[21] Chalabyan was released in August 2022 on bail by judge Ruzanna Barseghyan of Court of Appeals.

In December 2023 Court of General Jurisdiction in Yerevan found guilty Chalabyan for the accusation and decided to ban him from participating in rallies and other public events as well as from changing his place of residence without informing relevant law enforcement for a period of thirty months.^[22] Chalabyan and his attorneys claimed the judgement is absurd, and will be appealed.^[23] In September 2024 The Court of Appeal overturned the verdict and sent the case back to the First Instance Court for a new trial.^[24][25]

The US Embassy in Armenia included Chalabyan's case in 2022 Human Rights Report as an example of arbitrary arrest by the local authorities.^[26]

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe addressed the case of Chalabyan stressing the problematic nature of the Armenian criminal law noting that incentivizing participation in rallies should not be criminalized and the use made of the criminal code in this case is disturbing.^[27]

Freedom House reported it is unusual move that court banned activist Avetik Chalabyan from participating in public rallies for two years.^[28]

In May 2023, Chalabyan co-initiated the civil-legislative initiative Hayakve (Armenian Vote) being the coordinator of its operating headquarters.^[29][30] Launched on June 29, 2023, Hayaqve aimed to mobilize public support to criminalize any recognition of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) as part of Azerbaijan and denial or belittling of the Armenian genocide.^[31][32] The initiative, supported by 66 civic activists, collected over 58,000 signatures, exceeding the required 50,000 to submit the legislative proposal to Armenia's National Assembly.^[33] The proposed amendments to the Criminal Code would impose 10 to 15 years of imprisonment for actions recognizing Artsakh as part of another state or denying the Armenian Genocide.^[34] Despite allegations of administrative obstruction, including refusal of municipal premises for signature collection, the initiative highlighted public resistance to government policies regarding Artsakh.^[35] Chalabyan criticized the Armenian government's stance on border demarcation and handling of the Artsakh crisis, advocating for national unity, international support, and the preservation of Artsakh’s Armenian identity.^[36] His activism extended to opposing the extradition of Armenian soldiers and commanders to Azerbaijan and urging global powers to address Azerbaijan's actions against Artsakh.^[37]

Avetik Chalabyan is married and has four children.^[38][39]