War on drugs or on culture?
15 December 2024
In recent years, like in most places around Europe, clubbing and rave culture have become increasingly popular among the Armenian youth. In Yerevan, the capital, numerous electronic and techno clubs draw hundreds of young Armenians every weekend. These venues have become more than just nightlife hubs – they serve as vital spaces where young people can freely express themselves, unshackled from sociocultural taboos and away from the scrutiny of a conservative public.
However, Yerevan's municipality and Armenian police view the city's emerging club scene through a different lens, raising concerns over widespread drug use that have fueled public debates and prompted heightened security measures.
On the night of 16 November, representatives from the municipality, accompanied by police officers, raided two popular clubs, THEØFFICE and BAN, both well-known among the local youth. This marked the third police raid since April 2023, when another popular club, Poligraph, was raided and shut down. The reason for the raid, as per the authorities, was the alleged use of drugs in those spaces. Shortly after the raid, the administration of THEØFFICE took to social media, calling upon Armenia's government to stop targeting Yerevan's clubs, destroying Armenia's emerging clubbing scene and alternative culture.
Earlier this year, Poligraph announced its permanent closure on social media, citing a prolonged struggle with Yerevan authorities. In a prior statement, the club urged Armenian authorities to stop their aggression toward Yerevan's emerging club culture scene and, in their own words, to "defend dance".
 | Nerses Hovsepyan As with many aspects of culture, clubbing highlights the stark East-West divide in Europe. Cities like Berlin and Amsterdam are renowned for their thriving club scenes and liberal attitudes toward recreational drug use. In contrast, emerging clubbing hubs in the East, such as Belgrade and Tbilisi, face significant challenges. Their reputation as spaces where drugs are allegedly used, combined with their role as platforms for free expression and alternative culture, has provoked backlash from conservative segments of the public and authorities – much like in Yerevan. In 2018, police raids on Bassiani and Gallery—two of the most popular clubs in Tbilisi, the region's clubbing capital—sparked massive protests demanding a progressive shift in Georgia's politics and drug policy reform. |
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