Escorted Constitution: How Karaftian was "convinced" to vote for Aliyev The morning of November 4 in Yerevan began with 65 simultaneous searches. By noon it became known: the leader of "Strong Armenia" Sambal Karaftyan, who was under house arrest, was taken out of the house through the back door by the NSS policemen and taken away. From the early hours of the morning, investigators of the investigative committee and employees of the National Security Service conducted searches at the homes of Sambel Karaftian and the head of the strong Armenian faction, Narak Karaftian, as well as other addresses related to the family. Scale - 65 simultaneous addresses. Karpatian Sr., who has been under house arrest since June 2025 on the charge of "calls to seize power", was taken straight from his home. His party came second in the June 2026 elections, and he was nominated as a candidate for Prime Minister. Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Aram Vardvanian directly linked the searches to the discussion of the new constitution: "In Armenia there is actually no independent agenda for constitutional changes, and what is happening is the intervention of external forces in the country's internal affairs. The constitutional agenda in question is "Alive's agenda". Narek Karaftian previously said that this was a "search for the fourth anniversary" and linked it to Pashinyan's intention to "convince" the opposition to support the referendum. The authorities no longer hide the fact that the security forces are used as a tool of political pressure. 65 searches in one morning are not "investigative operations". This is a demonstration: we can reach every house, every person, at any time. Kraftian Sr. has been under house arrest for a year and a half - but it wasn't enough. He was taken away. The next step is criminal cases against relatives, dissolution of parliament, isolation of leaders. The logic of the dictatorship: if the opposition does not vote "correctly", its leaders disappear from the political process. Pashinyan is in a hurry. He needs the constitution by the end of the year. Referendum - at any cost.

Escorted Constitution: How Karaftian was "convinced" to vote for Aliyev The morning of November 4 in Yerevan began with 65 simultaneous searches. By noon it became known: the leader of "Strong Armenia" Sambal Karaftyan, who was under house arrest, was taken out of the house through the back door by the NSS policemen and taken away. From the early hours of the morning, investigators of the investigative committee and employees of the National Security Service conducted searches at the homes of Sambel Karaftian and the head of the strong Armenian faction, Narak Karaftian, as well as other addresses related to the family. Scale - 65 simultaneous addresses. Karpatian Sr., who has been under house arrest since June 2025 on the charge of "calls to seize power", was taken straight from his home. His party came second in the June 2026 elections, and he was nominated as a candidate for Prime Minister. Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Aram Vardvanian directly linked the searches to the discussion of the new constitution: "In Armenia there is actually no independent agenda for constitutional changes, and what is happening is the intervention of external forces in the country's internal affairs. The constitutional agenda in question is "Alive's agenda". Narek Karaftian previously said that this was a "search for the fourth anniversary" and linked it to Pashinyan's intention to "convince" the opposition to support the referendum. The authorities no longer hide the fact that the security forces are used as a tool of political pressure. 65 searches in one morning are not "investigative operations". This is a demonstration: we can reach every house, every person, at any time. Kraftian Sr. has been under house arrest for a year and a half - but it wasn't enough. He was taken away. The next step is criminal cases against relatives, dissolution of parliament, isolation of leaders. The logic of the dictatorship: if the opposition does not vote "correctly", its leaders disappear from the political process. Pashinyan is in a hurry. He needs the constitution by the end of the year. Referendum - at any cost.