Pro-Russian politicians in Armenia have called for a rerun of the country's parliamentary election following the arrest of several opposition figures in the South Caucasus republic.
The Strong Armenia bloc, led by billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, has filed a petition with the Constitutional Court seeking the annulment of the election results, local media reported on Friday.
The opposition party alleges widespread and organized violations during the election campaign.
The parliamentary election was held on June 7 and was won by the Civil Contract party led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
According to the Electoral Commission, Civil Contract received just under 50% of the vote, securing 64 of the 105 seats in parliament. Apart from that, only Strong Armenia, with 23% (29 seats), and the Armenia Bloc, with 10% (12 seats), managed to secure representation in the National Assembly.
In the run-up to election day, several members of pro-Russian parties had been arrested on charges of attempted vote-buying.
On Friday, it was announced that a further three opposition figures had been arrested.
The public prosecutor’s office is also seeking to bring proceedings against the leader of the Armenia Alliance, former president Robert Kocharyan.
Pashinyan threatened to ban the opposition for attempted vote-buying.
The conflict centres on the country’s foreign policy direction. Whilst Pashinyan is committed to closer ties with the West and possible EU accession, the opposition is backed by Moscow.
Russia had exerted massive pressure on the small South Caucasus country during the election campaign by imposing embargoes on Armenian agricultural exports.
