Armenia Opens Criminal Case Over Death Threats Against Pashinyan’s Wife

Armenian authorities have opened a criminal investigation after Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, reported receiving death threats following her public comments about domestic violence.

Kima Avdalyan, a spokesperson for Armenia’s Investigative Committee, said Thursday that proceedings were launched under two separate provisions of the Criminal Code. One concerns online hooliganism, while the other covers public calls for violence.

Hakobyan said the threats began after she published several social media posts encouraging women to speak openly about domestic abuse.

“I hope the state authorities will be able to prevent something like this from happening, because it would seriously damage the country’s reputation if the prime minister’s wife became a victim of violence,” she said.

She has continued to urge women not to remain silent about abuse despite the threats directed at her.

Hakobyan is the editor-in-chief of the Armenian Times newspaper and has maintained a prominent public role throughout Pashinyan’s years in power.

Earlier in 2026, she announced that she and Pashinyan were separating after more than 30 years together. The couple later reconciled.

At the time, Hakobyan also said she could face criminal prosecution connected to her work with the My Step Foundation. Questions had been raised over whether free English-language courses offered by the organization during the election period violated Armenia’s campaign laws.

Some political observers suggested the separation could have been linked to the election campaign and predicted that the couple might reunite.

Hakobyan has also faced criticism over spending, the use of government resources and remarks she made about clergy members during the deepening dispute between Pashinyan’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The Investigative Committee has not publicly identified any suspects or released further details about the threats.

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