Six Armenian political parties urging EPC summit participants not to  ignore  challenges facing Armenia

ArmInfo.Six Armenian political parties, members of the European Political Community, have issued a joint letter to leaders of European Political Families and Heads of State and Government attending the European Political  Community Summit in Yerevan.

The letter calls for a response to the anti-democratic processes in Armenia and demands the release of Armenian prisoners of war in Baku and the preservation of cultural heritage in Artsakh.

Armen Ashotyan, Deputy Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia  (RPA), stated that the letter, which he posted on his Facebook page,  was addressed to European Council President Antonio Costa, European  Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EPC leaders, and the heads  of state of the countries participating in the Yerevan summit.  The  letter reads  as follows: "As representatives of Armenian political  parties that are members or observers within your respective European  political families—bound together by a shared commitment to  democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms—we address you  ahead of the EPC Summit in Yerevan with urgency and responsibility.

The Armenian government is actively cultivating an international  image of democratic progress. This narrative is misleading. On the  ground, the administration of Nikol Pashinyan is consolidating power,  weakening institutional checks and balances, and systematically using  law enforcement and judiciary against political opponents and  clergemen.

Under these conditions, hosting the EPC Summit in Yerevan risks  sending a dangerous political signal: that democratic backsliding can  be overlooked when it is politically convenient.

We urge you not to ignore the following realities:  1. Democratic  Backsliding and Political Repression Armenia’s democratic indicators  have deteriorated, as reflected in assessments by Freedom House,  Transparency International and V-Dem Institute. Judicial and law  enforcement mechanisms are increasingly used as political tools.  Peaceful protests are curtailed, and political activism is met with  intimidation and detention.  2. Political Prisoners There are more  than 50 individuals detained on politically motivated charges, and  the number is growing. Continued silence on these cases risks  normalising politically motivated imprisonment.  3. State Pressure on  the Armenian Apostolic Church The government is using prosecutions,  court action, travel bans, and a sustained political campaign to  subordinate the Armenian Apostolic Church to state control. Clergy  have been detained on fabricated charges, bishops restricted from  travel, and secular courts deployed to override ecclesiastical  authority. Most telling: the ruling Civil Contract party has  explicitly included the removal of the Catholicos in its political  programme. This is not a policy dispute — it is an unconstitutional  assault on a constitutionally protected institution.  4. Media  Pressure and Erosion of Free Expression Independent media is  increasingly constrained.  Journalists face physical attacks,  intimidation, and exclusion from state resources. The result is a  shrinking space for free expression and growing censorship.  We also  use this opportunity to urge you to address issues related to the  realities created by actions of the Azerbaijani Government, which  severely undermine prospects of the establishment of peace between  Armenia and Azerbaijan 5. Armenian POWs in Azerbaijani Custody  According to official numbers 19 Armenian prisoners of war and  civilians remain in Azerbaijani detention, despite official claims to  the contrary. Reports of torture and staged trials persist. At the  same time, the issue of missing persons remains unresolved. The lack  of transparency and tangible progress on this issue further  undermines public trust and raises grave humanitarian concerns.  6.  Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh and the Imperative of Return The ethnic  cleansing of Nagorno- Karabakh/Artsakh, which forcibly displaced its  entire indigenous Armenian population, must not be consigned to  silence. The ongoing and systematic destruction of Armenian Christian  spiritual and cultural heritage in the region is a continuing affront  to civilised values. International law unequivocally obliges  Azerbaijan to guarantee a safe, voluntary, and dignified return of  all displaced persons to their homeland — an obligation that European  leaders must actively champion.

Our Message to European Leaders is clear. This is a moment of  political clarity. Engagement must not come at the cost of  principles.

We call on you to:  • Publicly and unequivocally demand the release  of all political prisoners in Armenia and Armenian POWs in  Azerbaijan.  • Speak out clearly against pressure on the Armenian  Apostolic Church and restrictions on media freedom.  • Ensure  balanced engagement by meeting with representatives of opposition  forces, independent civil society and Armenian Apostolic Church. The  credibility of Europe’s commitment to democratic values is at stake.  We urge you to act accordingly: to stop the hypocrisy and to stand  for democracy, " the political forces stated.

According to the source, the authors of the letter are EPP members:  Republican party of Armenia, “HERITAGE” party;  PES member: Armenian  Revolutionary Federation; ECR member: “Prosperous Armenia” party;  ALDE member: Armenian National Congress; EFA member: Democratic Party  of Artsakh.