The Armenian Prosecutor's Office has threatened a prison sentence for evading military training.
Failure to appear for military training entails criminal liability, the Armenian Prosecutor's Office stated, amid reports of summonses being served on voters arriving from abroad.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot," military police at the airport are serving summonses to Armenian citizens arriving from Russia to vote in the parliamentary elections. This also applies to people arriving from other countries. Authorities have threatened criminal prosecution for those who refuse to participate. "On June 1, an investigation was published that shows how Moscow, with the help of pro-Russian blogger Mika Badalyan, is organizing flights for Russians with Armenian passports to Armenia on the eve of the elections. They even gave a precise date: June 4. They are buying tickets for everyone who wants them, meaning they are giving out free round-trip tickets. This is also interference in the elections, which is punishable under Armenian law," said political scientist Harutyun Mkrtchyan. The Anti-Corruption Committee suspects Badalyan of distributing election bribes.
The main influx of Armenian citizens arriving from Russia to vote is expected in the final days before the elections, but the figure of 100,000 people appears exaggerated. Those who agreed to come to the polls do not necessarily support Pashinyan's opponents, although the diaspora's participation in the vote could have a significant impact on the distribution of seats in parliament.
Training sessions for first- and second-category reservists of the first reserve group, including privates, sergeants, and officers, have been announced for 2026. According to the Law "On Military Service and the Status of Servicemen," as part of the training sessions, citizens in the Republic of Armenia are required to report to their military registration authority upon notification from the military commissariat. The Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Armenia warns that failure to appear for military training entails criminal liability, reports News.Am.
In particular, Part 1 of Article 462 of the Criminal Code provides for criminal liability for evading announced military training if, among other things, the failure involves a person failing to report to the military registration and enlistment office at their place of registration. This act also carries a penalty of imprisonment for a term of 1 to 3 years.
Elections to the National Assembly of Armenia will be held on June 7. According to analysts, the parties of Samvel Karapetyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and former President Robert Kocharyan will be key competitors in the elections. Samvel Karapetyan's Strong Armenia, along with Robert Kocharyan's Armenia bloc and Gagik Tsarukyan's Prosperous Armenia Party, is one of the most pro-Russian parties in the Armenian parliamentary elections. The Caucasian Knot has prepared a report entitled "2026 Elections to the National Assembly (Parliament) of Armenia".