Arushanyan's Real Estate Cannot Be Deemed of Illegal Origin: 'Hetq'

The Anti-Corruption Court has made a decision to conduct an expedited trial and issue a ruling regarding the confiscation of the "illegal property" of the head of the Goris community, Arush Arushanyan. This was reported by "Hetq." It is noted that the prosecution has separated a part of the case regarding financial claims for examination.

Beginning in January 2024, the Anti-Corruption Court will be examining a lawsuit filed by the Office of the Prosecutor General regarding the confiscation of property of illegal origin from Arush Arushanyan in favor of the Republic of Armenia. The demands include the confiscation of:

• The residential house at 2/2 Z. Andranik Street, Goris, in full, or if impossible, its average market value of 28,000,000 AMD;
• The entire manufacturing unit at 2 First Street, Verishen village, or if impossible, its average market value of 39,750,000 AMD;
• The land parcel at 2/1 First Street, Verishen village, in full, or if impossible, its average market value of 7,000,000 AMD;
• 16.81% of the market value of the real estate located at 2/3 Z. Andranik Street, Goris, amounting to 1,613,760 AMD;
• A sum of 253,583,891 AMD which is unsubstantiated by the individual's legal income, has illegal origins, is transferred to an unknown good faith acquirer or is impossible to identify and confiscate;
• 370,077,000 AMD as the remainder of income of illegal origin.

After approximately two and a half years of examination, a petition was submitted to the Anti-Corruption Court from Arushyan's side requesting an expedited trial and dismissal of the lawsuit on the grounds of its evident groundlessness. Specifically, it was stated in the petition that the lawsuit contains no facts or arguments, nor any legal basis or justification regarding the connection between the alleged crime and the increase of assets.

Referring to the Constitutional Court decision dated April 16, 2025, representatives of Arush Arushanyan indicated that the Constitutional Court established that a connection between the relevant crime and the property is necessary, which the prosecution has not ensured in this case, thus revealing a discrepancy with the Constitutional Court's decision.

The prosecution objected to the petition, presenting counterarguments, particularly stressing the total loan of 307,060,000 AMD provided by Arushyan to “Gor Metal” LLC in 2017.

On July 21, 2025, the Anti-Corruption Court, presided over by Lili Drmeian, decided to partially grant Arushyan’s petition for an expedited trial and proceed to the final judicial act only regarding the demands for the confiscation of the house at 2/2 Z. Andranik Street, Goris, the manufacturing unit at 2 First Street, Verishen village, and the land parcel, as well as the 16.81% of the market value of the real estate located at 2/3 Z. Andranik Street, Goris, amounting to 1,613,760 AMD. The ruling is expected to be published on August 12, 2025.

The court emphasized that it is clear from the Constitutional Court decision No. SDO-1776 that property obtained before a person assumed office cannot be confiscated as property of illegal origin, and the continuation of proceedings regarding the confiscation of such properties does not align with the goals of effective and fair resolution of the case. In other words, the aforementioned properties cannot be evaluated as having illegal origins, and therefore, the demands for their confiscation on those grounds are evidently baseless.

The court has separated into a separate proceeding the following demand of the Prosecutor General's Office: “To confiscate from Arush Arushanyan, as property of illegal origin, the 253,583,891 AMD amount which is unsubstantiated by the individual's legal income, has illegal origins, is transferred to an unknown good faith acquirer or is impossible to identify and confiscate, and 370,077,000 AMD as the remainder of income of illegal origin.” This part of the case will once again be examined by Judge Lili Drmeian.