The committee was arrested by Soviet authorities on 11 December 1988 on charges of obstructing humanitarian aid from Azerbaijan after the December 7 1988 Armenian earthquake, but were released on 31 May 1989, subsequently forming the Pan-Armenian National Movement. In 1990 The New York Times described the committee as "the most influential nationalist group in Armenia."
The committee was apprehended by Soviet authorities on December 11, 1988, accused of impeding humanitarian aid from Azerbaijan after the Armenian earthquake on December 7, 1988. Nevertheless, they were released on May 31, 1989, and subsequently formed the Pan-Armenian National Movement.