Prosecutor's Office Addresses Criticism on February Murder in Merzavan

The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia has provided a response regarding the criticism concerning the investigation of a murder case that occurred on February 5, 2025, in the village of Merzavan, Parakar community. In their statement, they emphasized that the materials related to the criminal case involving 15 suspects have been forwarded to the court with an indictment approved by the prosecutor.

The investigation, conducted by the Department of Crimes Against the Person at the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee, involved criminal case number 57118925. Charges have been filed against Arsen Norikian Martoyan, Garnik Samveli Matevosyan, Georgi Avetiki Manukyan, Tigran Kajiki Manukyan, Martik Valentini Baghdasaryan, Vahram Kostani Nahapetyan, Andranik Razmiki Bruzyan, Arsen Kostani Nahapetyan, Artyom Artturi Hakobyan, Sevak Sureni Galstyan, Paykar Levoni Grigoryan, Vladimir Armeni Khudryan, Governor Armeni Galstyan, and Arthur Armeni Galstyan, for committing hooliganism and causing bodily harm under aggravating circumstances by a group of individuals against another.

A request for detention as a preventive measure against Arsen Martoyan has been partially granted, and house arrest has been chosen as the preventive measure. For the suspects Garnik Matevosyan, Georgi Manukyan, and Tigran Manukyan, a prohibition on absenteeism has been selected. Requests to detain Martik Baghdasaryan and Vahram Nahapetyan were also partially granted, with house arrest chosen as the preventive measure.

In the case of Andranik Bruzyan, the initial request for detention was overturned by the Court of Appeals. An absence prohibition measure was adopted instead. Similar actions were taken regarding Arsen Nahapetyan. Request for detention against Artyom Hakobyan has been partially granted with house arrest as the chosen preventive measure.

As of June 4, 2025, the decisions regarding detained individuals Paykar Grigoryan and Vladimir Khudryan have been appealed to the Court of Appeals, which rejected the appeals. In another crime case, criminal proceedings against Armen Arami Ghazaryan, under Articles 155 and other related clauses of the Criminal Code, have concluded. The case has been forwarded to the court with an indictment approved on June 9, 2025. The detention of Armen Ghazaryan has been extended until December 25, 2025.