The Region in Brief

Armenia

Law enforcement have conducted a violent raid of Poligraf, a prominent electronic nightclub in Yerevan. Police stormed into the club in the early hours of Sunday morning and arrested over 40 people, including clubgoers and employees. Footage published by Poligraf shows at least 20 armed police officers rushing into the club and using force against onlookers. Law enforcement authorities say the raid was part of a “criminal investigation” in response to reports of drug use. The raid on Poligraf, one of the few safe public spaces for LGBTQ people in Armenia, has been condemned by civil society groups in Armenia, including Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly and Pink Armenia. “We are all part of a more significant cultural and creative industry under threat,” Poligraf said in a statement. “This is not just about our right to dance and express ourselves but about the core of our society.”