Defense Requests to Lift Seizure on Serj Sargsyan's Property; Next Court Session Set for April 15

The hearing of the case involving the third President of Armenia, Serj Sargsyan, and others was postponed at the Avan Court of General Jurisdiction in Yerevan, presided over by Judge Vahe Misakyan. The next session is scheduled for April 15 at 14:00.

During today’s session, Serj Sargsyan’s defense team submitted a motion to lift the seizure on their client’s property. Attorney Ruben Hakobyan stated that the property of Serj Sargsyan is under seizure due to an unfounded and unreasoned decision by the investigator.

The prosecuting attorney insisted that the motion should be rejected. The National Security Service announced the charges against Sargsyan on December 4, 2019. According to the official statement, while serving as President of Armenia, he allegedly used his official position to organize the embezzlement of a particularly large sum of 489,160,310 AMD through improper means by a group of officials in 2013.

He has been charged under the first part of the third clause of Article 38-179 of the Armenian Criminal Code, and a preventive measure of signature not to leave has been selected.

Others charged in the case include former Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan, businessman Barsheka Beglaryan, who is considered close to Sargsyan and the owner of “Flash” company, former Ministry of Agriculture official Gevorg Harutyunyan, and former Deputy Minister of Agriculture Samvel Galstyan.

The court today decided to terminate criminal prosecution against Sergo Karapetyan and Samvel Galstyan on the grounds of death.