Arush Arushanyan Sentenced to Imprisonment

The court partially granted the motion of the Probation Service for the imprisonment of Goris community mayor Arush Arushanyan.

“The court replaced the punishment imposed on convicted Arush Arushanyan, which was the deprivation of the right to hold local self-government leadership positions for 5 years, with 1 year, 8 months, and 3 days of imprisonment. The three days of deprivation of the right to hold local self-government leadership positions will be calculated as one day of imprisonment,” said Vardani Melikonyan, a judge of the Syunik Regional Court.

The Probation Service had previously submitted a motion to the court to replace the punishment imposed on Goris mayor Arush Arushanyan with imprisonment, as well as to eliminate the decision not to apply the prison term conditionally and to send the verdict for imprisonment enforcement.

The criminal case in which Arushanyan was found guilty relates to "abuse of official position, self-justice, and intentionally causing harm to another person's health." It is noteworthy that the Probation Service has approached the Goris City Council, informing them that the community leader should be dismissed.

The 14 members participating in the council meeting unanimously recorded that the request was outside the functions of the council, indicating the impossibility of organizing that process by the council.

Goris community leader Arush Arushanyan is charged with abuse of official position, self-justice, and intentionally causing harm to another person's health. The court decision has come into force, but Arushanyan has not fulfilled one of the stipulations—to resign from the position of community leader. According to the ruling, he cannot hold the position for 5 years.