Yesterday’s protest march in Yerevan has reportedly deepened anxiety within Armenia’s ruling circles, according to Yerevan.Today editor Sevak Akopyan. In a strongly worded Facebook post, Akopyan accused the authorities of trying to downplay the scale and significance of the event while resorting to “desperate and dishonest tactics.”
“Despite the hysterical reaction from the government, pressure on activists, police summonses, detentions—including the arrest of [activist] Karapetyan—and even the seizure of ESA [an organization or venue], a large crowd still gathered,” Akopyan wrote.
“Looking at the turnout, I honestly thought the authorities had made yet another mistake. Instead of weakening the opposition, they may have inadvertently sparked a more powerful resistance movement.”
Authorities Accused of Manipulation and Intimidation
Akopyan claims government-aligned media and political operatives attempted to undermine the protest’s legitimacy by spreading disinformation, including falsifying attendance numbers and pushing the narrative that participants were paid to show up.
“They say 15,000 people were only 7,000—as if that’s not a significant number. Let’s be honest, they haven’t pulled off protests like that in years,” Akopyan wrote.
According to him, undercover agents and provocateurs embedded in the protest crowd deliberately made comments about receiving money for attending, which were then recorded, edited, and broadcast by pro-government media.
One such manipulated clip, he noted, involved a citizen who mentioned spending 4,000 drams on shoes—later twisted by media to suggest residents of “Karabakh” were paid 4,000 drams to protest.
“The People Have Had Enough”
Akopyan emphasized that despite the government’s alleged spin and attempts to suppress the opposition, public anger is growing:
“You can downplay the protest, claim it was just 30 people, say they went home—but it doesn’t change reality. The reality is, people are fed up. There are tens of thousands ready to take to the streets and say it to your face, live on air.”
He added that the government’s increasing use of force, threats, and arrests only confirms what they already know: “the trust of the people is gone—and it’s not coming back.”
Protest Signals Deepening Divide
The demonstration appears to be part of a larger wave of civil unrest in Armenia, reflecting dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration. Tensions have escalated in recent months over political arrests, governance issues, and the handling of regional conflicts.
Akopyan’s post ends with a warning: “You can lie to yourselves and your supporters, but you know better than anyone what the people really feel.”
The government has yet to formally respond to the accusations raised by Akopyan and others.
