NSS raids “Mother Armenia” party office amid treason allegations against chairman - Updated

The National Security Service (NSS) has conducted a search at the office of the “Mother Armenia” party, whose leader, Andranik Tevanyan, is facing criminal proceedings on charges of treason and espionage.

Tevanyan is running for parliament on the Prosperous Armenia Party ticket, led by Gagik Tsarukyan.

Andranik Tevanyan told journalists that during the search, NSS officers seized computers, phones, technical equipment, and analytical materials from the party office.

“They now also want to search our apartment; the search will continue there,” Tevanyan said.

He described the operation as an obstacle to their election campaign and dismissed the criminal proceedings initiated against him by the Investigative Committee as absurd.

According to investigators, in 2024, Tevanyan allegedly leaked classified data from a parliamentary hearing to a foreign intelligence service. He was not a lawmaker at the time and is said to have obtained the information illegally from the hearings through another individual. He denies the charges.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said it submitted a motion to the Central Election Commission seeking approval to initiate criminal proceedings against Andranik Tevanyan.

The original version of this article has been updated to include information from the Prosecutor General’s Office.