Developments revealed both purpose of law and its so‑called urgency – Avetik Chalabyan

At a press conference today, Avetik Chalabyan, coordinator of the “Hayakve” initiative, criticized the amendments to the Electoral Code adopted by the National Assembly on January 23 under an “urgent procedure.” According to Chalabyan, the bill has already been dubbed by the public as the “law against Hayakve and democracy.”

He noted that the draft law appeared on the parliament’s agenda the evening before the session, leaving no opportunity to study its content or understand its origins.

“These developments were a major surprise for us. The course of events revealed both the purpose of the law and its so‑called urgency,” Chalabyan said.

He also addressed recent decisions of the judicial system, reporting that the court has extended the detention of Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan for another month. Chalabyan described this as political imprisonment and another step within the broader campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church and its clergy.