19:00 News in Brief: Scandal at the CEC, New Wiretapping Powers, Guarantees for Visiting Baku Prison

Yesterday's news summarized and contextualized:

• A tense situation has arisen at the CEC meeting concerning the documentation shortcomings of political parties and the requirement for payment of election deposits.
• Samvel Karapetyan, the leader of the "Strong Armenia" party, has denied allegations of distributing electoral bribes.
• The National Assembly committee has approved a bill that grants the External Intelligence Service independent authority to monitor telephone conversations.
• Ruben Vardanyan's wife is demanding international guarantees from the Armenian authorities for visiting her husband, who is imprisoned in Baku.
• The European Parliament has adopted a resolution expressing support for Armenian democracy and demanding the release of Armenians held captive by Azerbaijan.
• Donald Trump has criticized the German Chancellor, urging focus on domestic issues and the cessation of the Russia-Ukraine war.