As an independent media outlet, the 301 team only recognizes and uses one map when reporting on Armenian news and that is the map of Armenia and Artsakh regardless of occupation status.

Arman Tsarukyan continued his dominant run in Real American Freestyle (RAF), earning a technical fall victory over former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson at RAF 10. The bout ended early in the second period after Tsarukyan built a commanding 10-0 lead, securing another impressive win in the promotion. The victory marks Tsarukyan’s sixth consecutive triumph in RAF competition. The Armenian fighter is set to remain active, with two more high-profile matchups scheduled against former UFC contender Colby Covington and Kazakhstan’s Kuat Khamitov. Tsarukyan remains undefeated in RAF and continues to establish himself as one of the league’s standout performers.

Armenia’s Administrative Court has dismissed two lawsuits filed by the “Prosperous Armenia” Party seeking to overturn Central Electoral Commission decisions that invalidated voting results at two polling stations. The appeals concerned polling station 10/51 in Yerevan and polling station 35/65 in Meghri. The CEC annulled the results at both locations after identifying election-day violations. The court’s decision carries particular significance for “Prosperous Armenia,” as the invalidated polling stations accounted for 213 votes that would otherwise have been included in the party’s total. According to preliminary CEC results, the party fell roughly 59 votes short of the 4% threshold required to enter parliament. Party representatives argued that the CEC’s decisions were unlawful and should be reversed. They had previously noted that the two polling stations were among those where “Prosperous Armenia” recorded comparatively strong support. The ruling represents another setback for the party as post-election disputes continue. Recounts, legal challenges, and efforts to contest various aspects of the election results remain ongoing.

Karlen Stepanyan, a former Armenian prisoner of war who returned from Azerbaijani captivity in 2021, has died at the age of 52 after a battle with cancer, filmmaker and activist Hovhannes Ishkhanyan reported. According to Ishkhanyan, Stepanyan endured years of hardship after returning home. “After returning from captivity, his wife left him, and he fought cancer for some time on his mother’s meager pension until she passed away last year,” Ishkhanyan wrote. Born in 1974, Stepanyan was among 10 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan on November 16, 2021. He was repatriated to Armenia on December 19 of the same year through mediation by the European Council. His death marks the end of a difficult chapter that continued long after his release, as he struggled with illness and social hardship in the years that followed his return from captivity.

Who Is Running Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission? The institution responsible for administering and overseeing Armenia’s elections is currently headed by Vahagn Hovakimyan, who has served as Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission since October 2022. While the Commission is expected to function as an independent body, Hovakimyan’s political and professional background reflects longstanding ties to Armenia’s current ruling establishment. A brief overview of his career: •⁠ ⁠Born in Yerevan on June 30, 1974. •⁠ ⁠Worked for years as a journalist, including at Haykakan Zhamanak, a publication closely linked to Nikol Pashinyan. •⁠ ⁠Served as Pashinyan’s parliamentary assistant from 2012 to 2015. •⁠ ⁠Became a member of the governing Civil Contract Party’s Board in 2016. •⁠ ⁠Was elected to Armenia’s National Assembly on the Civil Contract ticket in both the 2018 and 2021 parliamentary elections. •⁠ ⁠In October 2022, he was appointed Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission by the National Assembly following his nomination by the ruling Civil Contract faction. The appointment placed a longtime ally of the governing party at the helm of the institution responsible for organizing and certifying Armenia’s elections, a reality that continues to raise questions among critics regarding the perceived independence of the country’s electoral oversight system. #ArmVote26

Armenia’s Administrative Court is scheduled to hear lawsuits filed by the “Prosperous Armenia” Party at 18:00 Yerevan time today challenging the Central Electoral Commission’s decisions to invalidate voting results at two polling stations, according to party spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan. The cases concern polling stations 10/51 in Yerevan and 35/65 in Meghri, whose results were invalidated by the CEC. The legal challenge comes as the party continues to contest post-election decisions that could prove decisive for parliamentary representation. According to the party, the invalidation of the two polling stations cost “Prosperous Armenia” 213 votes, while preliminary CEC results placed the party approximately 59 votes short of the 4% parliamentary threshold. #ArmVote26

Eduard Sharmazanov, a member of the Republican Party Executive Body, has suggested that the arrest of former Education Minister and Republican Party Vice Chairman Armen Ashotyan may be connected to efforts by the ruling “Civil Contract” party to secure membership in the European People’s Party (EPP). According to Sharmazanov, Ashotyan’s active participation in EPP activities had complicated “Civil Contract’s” prospects of joining the organization. He argued that Ashotyan had been an obstacle to Nikol Pashinyan and claimed that the issue of “Civil Contract’s” EPP membership is expected to be discussed after the parliamentary elections. Sharmazanov further alleged that the authorities rushed to bring forward a new criminal case against Ashotyan in order to place him back in custody. Despite his detention, Sharmazanov said Ashotyan would continue to support and encourage those opposing Pashinyan’s government from prison. He concluded his statement by calling for the release of what he described as “all hostages of Nikol’s regime.”

Armenia has dispatched 80 tons of humanitarian aid to Lebanon, including medicines, hygiene supplies, and food products, amid the worsening humanitarian situation in the Middle East. According to Armenian authorities, the shipment consists of 38 tons of medicines and hygiene products and 42 tons of food, including canned goods and other non-perishable items. The aid is being transported by four Armenian trucks, which crossed the Margara checkpoint on June 12 and are traveling through Turkey to Lebanon. Armenian authorities stated that an agreement was reached with the Turkish side to facilitate the transit of the humanitarian cargo through Turkish territory. The aid shipment is being transported via the Margara border crossing, which is operating from June 12 to June 22 for the movement of humanitarian cargo. Armenia and Lebanon maintain longstanding ties, particularly through Lebanon’s large Armenian community. The humanitarian assistance comes as Lebanon faces growing challenges amid escalating tensions and conflict across the Middle East. The use of the Margara crossing marks another instance in which the closed Armenia-Turkey border has been opened for humanitarian purposes. Turkey previously allowed Armenian humanitarian aid shipments to transit through the crossing en route to Syria.

Supporters of the "Prosperous Armenia" Party gathered outside Armenia's Central Electoral Commission on Friday as the party escalated its challenge to the results of the June 7 parliamentary elections. The party is demanding repeat voting at three polling stations whose results have been invalidated by the CEC: 10/51 in Yerevan, 35/65 in Meghri, and 12/13 in the village of Abovyan. During the protest, party representatives entered the CEC building to seek clarification on the commission's position regarding the request. The three polling stations accounted for 222 votes cast for "Prosperous Armenia", including 213 votes from the first two invalidated polling stations. The dispute comes as recounts continue at 555 polling stations across Armenia. Preliminary CEC results placed "Prosperous Armenia" approximately 59 votes short of the 4% parliamentary threshold, while recounts have already uncovered additional votes for the party that were not reflected in the published results. Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan has announced a coordinated political and legal campaign, including court challenges and consultations with opposition forces, arguing that the dispute extends beyond his party and concerns the protection of voters' will. #ArmVote26

The “Wings of Unity” Party, led by former Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan, is expected to submit an application to the Central Electoral Commission seeking to have the parliamentary election results declared invalid and a repeat vote held. The move comes amid mounting challenges to the June 7 election results. The “Strong Armenia” Alliance has already applied to the CEC seeking to invalidate the results, while the “Prosperous Armenia” Party is demanding repeat voting at three polling stations whose results have been invalidated by the commission. The election remains under intense scrutiny following recount requests at 555 polling stations, the invalidation of three polling stations, and a growing number of legal and political challenges to the outcome. #ArmVote26

Political analyst Alen Ghevondyan has been detained as Pashinyan’s government continues and intensifies its actions against opposition figures, critics, and political opponents following the recent elections. According to Armenia’s Investigative Committee, Ghevondyan and Republican Party Council member Tigran Vardanyan allegedly made public calls on social media aimed at seizing power and violently overthrowing the constitutional order. “T.V. and A.G. made public calls on their Facebook accounts aimed at seizing power and violently overthrowing the constitutional order,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement. According to the agency, pretrial detention has been ordered for Tigran Vardanyan and he has been placed on a wanted list, while Alen Ghevondyan was detained for the purpose of submitting a motion to court seeking a preventive measure against him. The detention comes amid a growing series of arrests, detentions, and criminal cases launched by Pashinyan’s government against opposition politicians, clergy, public figures, and government critics, a trend that has accelerated in the period immediately before and after the elections.

Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission has invalidated the results of a third polling station following the June 8 parliamentary elections. The decision concerns polling station 12/13 in the village of Abovyan, Ararat Province, where election officials found that ballot paper No. 8 was missing on election day. According to the CEC’s decision, the polling station had 809 participants, a figure recorded as the total size of the identified discrepancy. Materials related to the case have been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office. The vote distribution at the polling station was: ▫️”Civil Contract” Party: 602 ▫️”Strong Armenia” Alliance: 71 ▫️”Armenia” Alliance: 67 ▫️”Prosperous Armenia” Party: 9 The decision marks the third polling station whose results have been invalidated by the CEC since the election, following the earlier annulment of polling stations 10/51 in Yerevan and 35/65 in Meghri. #ArmVote26

The "Prosperous Armenia" Party has formally requested repeat voting at the two polling stations whose results were invalidated by the Central Electoral Commission. During today's protest outside the CEC, two party representatives entered the commission's headquarters to seek clarification on the commission's position regarding the request. The demand concerns polling stations 10/51 in Yerevan and 35/65 in Meghri, whose results were invalidated following complaints filed by the Independent Observer election observation mission. One of the initiative's most prominent representatives is Daniel Ioannisyan, founder of the Union of Informed Citizens NGO and a longtime critic of opposition figures including Robert Kocharyan, Samvel Karapetyan, and Gagik Tsarukyan. The two polling stations accounted for 213 votes cast for the "Prosperous Armenia" Party. Their removal is particularly significant because preliminary CEC results placed the party approximately 59 votes short of the 4% parliamentary threshold. At the same time, recounts have already uncovered at least 130 additional votes for "Prosperous Armenia" that were either incorrectly recorded or missing from figures published on the CEC website. With recounts continuing and legal challenges underway, the fight over the two invalidated polling stations could prove critical to whether the party ultimately secures parliamentary representation. #ArmVote26

Narek Karapetyan, who heads the "Strong Armenia" electoral list, says authorities prevented him from traveling to the Upper Lars border crossing, where he planned to document the growing difficulties facing Armenian exporters. Karapetyan said he was scheduled to travel to Upper Lars as part of a joint project with Armat Media and conduct a live broadcast on the situation at the border. "We were supposed to be at Upper Lars today and show the disgraceful situation surrounding Armenian trucks and agricultural exports. We planned to broadcast live the approximately 15-kilometer-long queue where Armenian agricultural products are unable to cross the border," Karapetyan said. The border situation has become a growing concern for Armenian exporters after Russian authorities imposed restrictions and additional inspections on a wide range of Armenian exports, including flowers, fish, mineral water, wine, brandy, fruit, vegetables, and dried fruits. The measures have resulted in lengthy delays, rejected shipments, and significant financial losses for exporters. According to Karapetyan, border authorities informed him that his visit was prohibited and that restrictions had been imposed on him. "Armat Media will cover it, and I will continue following the developments from here," he added. #ArmVote26

“Strong Armenia” Alliance leader Samvel Karapetyan says he does not recognize the outcome of Armenia’s parliamentary elections as legitimate and is calling for the results to be invalidated and a second round of voting to be held. “Neither we won, nor did Pashinyan win. Armenia does not have a legitimate government,” Karapetyan said. According to Karapetyan, the alliance has already applied to both the Constitutional Court and the Central Electoral Commission seeking to have the election results declared invalid and a second round scheduled. Karapetyan also said the alliance has not yet decided whether it will take its seats in the new parliament, arguing that the decision will depend on which path offers the most effective route to changing the government. “If we conclude that we can achieve Pashinyan’s departure more quickly through parliament, then we will go to parliament. If it is through the street, then we will go to the street,” he said. The remarks come as post-election tensions continue to escalate, with recount requests filed for 555 polling stations, legal challenges to the election results, and ongoing disputes over the final outcome. #ArmVote26

Armenia's Central Electoral Commission has declined to comment on the growing dispute surrounding the parliamentary election results, urging the public to wait until June 14, when the commission is scheduled to officially summarize the final results. The statement comes as pressure on the CEC continues to mount. The "Strong Armenia" Alliance has formally requested that the parliamentary election results be declared invalid, while the "Prosperous Armenia" Party will hold a protest outside the commission's headquarters and launched a series of legal and political actions challenging the vote. Despite ongoing disputes over recounts, invalidated polling stations, and parliamentary representation, the CEC said it is refraining from making statements at this stage in order to avoid "misinterpretations." The commission added that CEC Chair Vahagn Hovakimyan will hold a press conference immediately following the June 14 session. #ArmVote26

"Prosperous Armenia" Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan has announced the start of what he described as a coordinated political and legal effort following the June 7 parliamentary elections. The party is launching a series of legal challenges while also beginning consultations with opposition forces aimed at developing a common agenda and coordinating future actions. The statement comes as election results remain under scrutiny. Recounts have been requested at 555 polling stations, while preliminary CEC results placed the "Prosperous Armenia" Party approximately 59 votes short of the 4% parliamentary threshold. According to Tsarukyan, the issue is no longer solely about the "Prosperous Armenia" Party, but about the broader post-election developments in Armenia and the protection of voters' will. "We entered an honest political contest, but every possible illegal measure was used against us and continues to be used against us," Tsarukyan said. He added that the party's legal teams are already working on appeals and court proceedings, while consultations with opposition parties will continue in the coming days. Tsarukyan also thanked political parties, public figures, media outlets, and supporters who have expressed solidarity since election night. "I want to assure you that we will continue to defend your vote through every means permitted by law," he said. "I am your Tsarukyan. We are beginning a fight." #ArmVote26

The "Strong Armenia" Alliance has formally applied to the Central Electoral Commission seeking to have the results of Armenia's parliamentary elections declared invalid. The application was submitted by Aram Vardevanyan, a lawyer and representative of the alliance, together with members of its legal team. According to the alliance, the challenge is based on reported electoral violations, discrepancies in vote counts, and what it describes as the misuse of administrative resources during both the campaign and election day. "If we compare the 2021 and 2026 elections, even the OSCE/ODIHR assessments are worse this time," Vardevanyan said following the filing. The move follows statements made yesterday by Narek Karapetyan, the top-ranked candidate on the alliance's electoral list, who said the alliance would first appeal to the CEC and then proceed to the Constitutional Court if it did not receive what it considers an adequate response. "If we do not receive a prompt response, we will apply to the Constitutional Court," Karapetyan said. #ArmVote26

The "Prosperous Armenia" Party has called on supporters to gather outside the Central Electoral Commission as recounts at hundreds of polling stations approach their conclusion. "Our citizens are being deprived of their right to freely express their will, and this theft of votes must not go unanswered," the party said in a statement. The protest call comes after the CEC invalidated the results from polling stations 10/51 in Yerevan and 35/65 in Meghri, removing 213 votes cast for the "Prosperous Armenia" Party. The dispute unfolds as recounts continue at 555 polling stations across Armenia, representing nearly 28% of the country's 2,005 polling stations. The recount process is expected to conclude at 12:00 p.m. today. The party officially received 58,368 votes (3.996%), a result that the CEC's published figures place approximately 59 votes below the 4% threshold for parliamentary representation. #ArmVote26

Yerevan State University has decided to dissolve its Department of Foreign Literature, one of the university's oldest academic units, according to department head Anush Sedrakyan. Sedrakyan, a political scientist who ran in the recent elections on the list of the "Wings of Unity" Party and has been a vocal critic of Nikol Pashinyan and his government, said the decision is part of a broader state policy directed from the center. "This is centralized authoritarianism," Sedrakyan said, adding that when it becomes difficult to target an individual through professional, corruption-related, or personal allegations, authorities instead move against the institution associated with that person. According to Sedrakyan, the university administration informed the acting dean of YSU's Faculty of European Languages and Communication that the department would be dissolved. The decision comes despite the fact that YSU currently operates a master's degree program in Foreign Literature and has students actively enrolled in the program. The development comes amid years of increasing government involvement in Armenia's higher education system. Under Pashinyan's government, university governance structures have been reshaped, government representatives have been placed on university governing bodies, and disputes over university leadership, academic independence, and alleged political influence have repeatedly generated controversy.