On March 5, during the government hour in the National Assembly, Agnesa Khamoyan, an MP from the Armenia bloc, questioned Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about Armenia’s response to the alleged torture of Armenian prisoners in Baku, referring to information previously disclosed by Pashinyan.

Khamoyan asked why the government had waited until now to address the issue, given that the alleged torture had already occurred. She urged the government to take concrete action beyond issuing statements, suggesting that Armenia could cooperate with Azerbaijan to send a secret representative to Baku, open a humanitarian channel, and advocate for the release detainees.

In response, Pashinyan emphasized that the ongoing peace treaty efforts were a crucial part of the solution, arguing that peace would help resolve not only this issue but others as well.

Khamoyan, however, remained critical, pointing out that while Armenia was fostering peace talks with Azerbaijan, Ruben Vardanyan had been on a hunger strike for 15 days. She also expressed concern over the closure of the Red Cross office in Azerbaijan, which was the only means of monitoring the condition of Armenian prisoners. She pressed the government on what other specific measures were being taken. At this point, Alen Simonyan, the Speaker of the National Assembly, interrupted Khamoyan, questioning the timing of her remarks.

Pashinyan reiterated that the government’s focus was on state interests and that peace negotiations were integral to resolving issues such as prisoner releases.

Later, Kristine Vardanyan, another MP from the Armenia bloc, criticized the lack of accountability regarding a fatal accident involving the Armenian Prime Minister’s motorcade three years ago. She highlighted the prolonged trial and the absence of consequences for those involved, contrasting this with the swift legal actions taken against other individuals. She raised concerns about double standards and judicial interference.

Pashinyan defended the judicial system’s independence, stating that he had never interfered in legal matters and that reforms were necessary to improve the system.

On the same day, Anna Grigoryan, also from the Armenia bloc, addressed concerns about the Amulsar gold mine project. She criticized the decision to proceed with its development despite environmental risks, highlighting that the government had allocated significant funds for studies that failed to alleviate public concerns.

Pashinyan defended the project, stating that extensive studies had been conducted and that environmental risks had been addressed. He argued that the project was economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable, offering financial benefits to affected communities. Grigoryan, however, questioned the validity of the studies and criticized the financial guarantees provided by the government to secure funding for the project.