‘I Am Reporting a Crime’: Defender on the Refusal to Release Khachaturov

The refusal to release former commander of the 3rd Army Corps, Major General Grigori Khachaturov, constitutes a crime. This statement was made by lawyer Mihran Poghosyan during a conversation with journalists, noting that he was removed from the proceedings by the court.

He declared in the courtroom that the term for keeping Khachaturov in custody expired at 16:45 and filed a request with the court for his client to be released.

“I am reporting a crime. There is no such thing as a person being detained at, say, 00:15 and continuously having to remain in custody; such matters are not calculated by the day. That is excluded and is not provided for by any law. Any matter regarding a person's freedom is calculated by the hour. They are committing a crime right now and not allowing him to be released,” Poghosyan stated.

He urged Khachaturov's supporters to demonstrate the true character of Judge Aram Grigoryan under the court's windows, labeling him a criminal.

Poghosyan emphasized that he is reporting a crime, and if the prosecuting attorney truly represented the Republic of Armenia, then that very person should have requested that the court session be postponed and initiated criminal proceedings, as a crime is occurring in court.

The defense pointed out that there are numerous decisions by the Prosecutor General's office stating that if an incident is recorded during judicial proceedings, prosecutors are required to submit reports and initiate proceedings. Poghosyan assured that such processes are not being carried out today.

It is noteworthy that proceedings were initiated against Khachaturov after Armenian Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan received parliamentary approval to initiate criminal prosecution against former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan. The former high-ranking military officials are accused of fraud in connection with the sale of the territories of two military units.

Recall that on February 21, public criminal prosecution was initiated against Grigori Khachaturov for legalizing especially large real estate acquired through criminal means due to the misuse of his official position (money laundering). He was arrested.

The Prosecutor's Office submitted a motion for his detention. However, the Anti-Corruption Court judge Tigran Davtyan rejected the motion. Khachaturov was released from the courtroom the same day.

On February 24, the Prosecutor General's Office filed a special appeal to the Court of Appeals against the decision to deny the motion for the detention of Grigori Khachaturov. On March 16, after reviewing the prosecutor's appeal, the Court of Appeals decided to detain Grigori Khachaturov.