Opposition Blogger Mika Badalyan Found Guilty

The Yerevan court has convicted opposition activist and blogger Mika (Mikayel) Badalyan on charges of making a false report about terrorism. Badalyan announced this on his Telegram channel.

"Fundamentally, it was probably foolish to expect anything else," he said.

According to the activist, the next court session is scheduled for May 16, during which the judge will issue a verdict and determine the punishment. Mika Badalyan was detained on April 22, 2022, on charges of giving a false report about terrorism.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia reported that he had posted fake messages on his page about the possibility of terrorist acts in Yerevan and the regions of Armenia, aiming to create a state of emergency. On July 25, Badalyan was released from custody on bail. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Moscow would continue to monitor Mika Badalyan's fate.