A Search Warrant Issued for Spartak Ghukasian, Son of Vardan Ghukasian

A search warrant has been issued for Spartak Ghukasian, the son of former Gyumri Mayor and former National Assembly deputy from the Prosperous Armenia Party, Vardan Ghukasian. Following the decision of the Court of Appeals regarding his detention, he went into hiding.

In response to a question from News, Deputy Prosecutor of Shirak Region Arthur Mnoyan stated whether the authorities have information on whether Ghukasian is still in Armenia or has managed to leave the country: "He is hiding from the prosecuting authority, and measures are being taken to discover the defendant's whereabouts."

A new incident involving Spartak Ghukasian occurred on August 19, when he was arrested on suspicion of making threats against the head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Kumayri Division of the police. He was subsequently charged. The investigative body had submitted a request to detain him to the General Jurisdiction Court of Shirak Region, which was rejected, allowing Ghukasian to be released from the courtroom.

The investigator submitted three grounds for the request to detain Ghukasian. Arthur Mnoyan noted: "Particularly, that the defendant, remaining at liberty, would attempt to hide from the prosecuting authority, would obstruct the investigation by exerting illegal influence on individuals involved in the criminal proceedings, and third, that the defendant Spartak Ghukasian, remaining at liberty, could commit an act prohibited by criminal law." The court found that only one of the presented grounds was substantiated but deemed it insufficient to apply detention.

Mnoyan stated that the decision has been appealed to the Court of Appeals and accepted. According to the prosecutor, prior to the Court of Appeals' decision, no alternative measure was applied to Spartak Ghukasian.

Arthur Mnoyan said, "Both the prosecuting authority and the supervising prosecutor were of the position that the proper behavior of the defendant could only be ensured by applying detention as a preventive measure."

Spartak Ghukasian, who has been at the center of incidents before, is not new to controversy. Despite numerous criminal cases against him, only one has resulted in a court ruling. In particular, in 2007, he was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison for participating in a shootout at the intersection of Teryan and Ghukasian streets in Gyumri but spent only six months in custody. Other criminal cases were dismissed due to lack of criminal composition, with the most recent one related to his illegal exemption from military service.

Vardan Ghukasian is also involved in criminal proceedings, accused of abuse of official authority and forgery in 38 instances.