ENA staff coerced to rally in Yerevan, warns official

An Armenian government official warned on Wednesday that employees of the country’s electric utility owned by Russia-based tycoon Samvel Karapetyan are being coerced to rally in Yerevan in support of the billionaire.

“We are receiving information that, as expected, the employees of the ENA [Electric Networks of Armenia] in Yerevan and provinces are being guided to participate in a rally in Yerevan in support of some people,” Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Davit Khudatyan said in a statement. He warned that coercing to participate in rallies is a criminal offense.

He assured the staffers that they will not lose their jobs and are free to reject participation.

Karapetyan is facing criminal charges of “public calls for usurpation of power.”

ENA is owned by Karapetyan’s Tashir Group.