Appeals Against the Extension of Samvel Karapetyan's Detention Accepted for Review

Lawyer Aram Vardevanyan writes: “I would like to inform you that the appeals we submitted against the illegal extension of Samvel Karapetyan's detention have been accepted for review by the judge of the Court of Appeals in the Anti-Corruption Chamber, J. Meliksetyan. The court will conduct the examination of the appeals in writing, despite our request for an oral procedure. A date has been set for the judicial decision on December 11, 2025. Moreover, a deadline has been established for the submission of written positions and explanations until December 10, inclusive.

December 10 is recognized worldwide as Human Rights Day, commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN on the same day in 1948. I am confident that in 1948, when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, no one would have imagined that the prohibition of arbitrary detention established by its Article 9 would be so blatantly ignored, denied, and belittled in 2025 in Armenia. Simply put, the statement defending the Mother See has led to Samvel Karapetyan's illegal detention, which has lasted over five months, political persecution, and a de facto hostage situation. Freedom to all political prisoners.”