Tonoyan's Legal Team Issues New Statement

In the atmosphere of legal inadequacy and lawlessness, it is expected that former Minister of Defense David Tonoyan will continue to remain in custody. This was stated in a press release by Tonoyan's legal team.

The statement particularly mentions: “For more than a week, since August 9, 2022, no court hearing has been scheduled for the criminal case against former Minister of Defense David Tonoyan. Moreover, it is unclear when the next court hearing will be announced and by whom. Due to the confusion surrounding the formation of the Artificial Anti-Corruption Court and considering that the trial phase of the criminal case has not yet commenced, Judge Manvel Shahverdyan refrains from scheduling a court hearing since, according to the new Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia and the constitutional law amendments to the 'Judicial Code of the Republic of Armenia,' he no longer has jurisdiction to examine the mentioned criminal case. However, the case is also not being sent to the newly established Anti-Corruption Court, resulting in David Tonoyan continuing to remain in custody without any legal basis.

In this atmosphere of legal inadequacy and lawlessness, it is expected that for at least another month, perhaps even longer, grossly violating the principle of timely proceedings in criminal cases, David Tonoyan will continue to remain in custody, which will add to the series of gross violations of his personal freedom and inviolability rights.”