Armenia's Democracy Eight Years After Velvet Revolution
From Velvet Revolution to selective justice
A former Pasadena mayor and son of a Genocide survivor examines Armenia's democratic trajectory following the 2018 Velvet Revolution. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract party retained a governing majority in June 2026 elections with approximately 49.9% of the vote. While Armenia remains the most open political system in the South Caucasus—scoring 54 out of 100 on Freedom House's 2026 index—concerns have emerged about selective justice. International observers documented orderly election procedures but noted a troubling preelection environment with numerous criminal cases concentrated against opposition candidates and activists. The article highlights a pattern of detention targeting opposition figures, clergy, and businessmen critical of the government, raising questions about whether legal accountability and political pressure have become conflated.
