Yerevan has publicly refused to hand over to Russia citizens prosecuted on political grounds, a statement that comes amid Armenia’s deepening drift from Moscow.
Armenia has officially said it will not extradite to Russia individuals pursued for political reasons. The strong message came from parliamentary speaker Alen Simonyan.
“I guarantee you: not a single person will be detained or expelled to any third country for political reasons. I officially guarantee it,” said parliamentary speaker Alen Simonyan.
According to him, despite some detentions at Moscow’s request, “zero people have been deported from Armenia.”
The statement comes against the backdrop of noticeably cooling relations between Yerevan and Moscow. Armenia has been steadily distancing itself from Russia for several years: authorities have announced a freeze on participation in the CSTO, skipped a number of post-Soviet integration formats and intensified contacts with the European Union and the United States.
For the Kremlin, which has traditionally viewed Armenia as part of its sphere of influence, such rhetoric is especially painful. Former allies are increasingly showing a willingness to pursue an independent policy, regardless of Moscow’s position.
Observers also noted the platform where the statement was made. Simonyan gave an interview to the Russian-language TV channel Dozhd, which is banned in Russia. Many saw this as an additional political signal.
