Samvel Karapetyan Transferred from NSS Detention to Home

Businessman Samvel Karapetyan was transferred home today from the "Yerevan-Center" detention facility. Supporters and sympathizers had gathered near his house since the morning.

The crowd began to applaud when the vehicle transporting Samvel Karapetyan approached the house, chanting "Samvel," and "Freedom for Samvel Karapetyan." Karapetyan exited the police vehicle, greeted the gathered crowd with a wave, and entered his home. Law enforcement officers in civilian clothes escorted him inside.

Earlier, Karapetyan's associates had announced that communication with him was legally prohibited. Meanwhile, employees of the probation service of the Armenian Ministry of Justice arrived near the house.

It should be noted that on June 17, a search was conducted at Samvel Karapetyan's home after he publicly expressed support for the Armenian Apostolic Church. Karapetyan was arrested on June 18.

On October 13, it became known that the charges against Samvel Karapetyan had been modified, with additional charges added under Article 296, Part 3, Clauses 2 and 3 of the Criminal Code, concerning the use of official powers or influence to conduct particularly large-scale money laundering.

On December 30, the court changed the measure of restraint for the businessman, replacing the arrest with a bail and house arrest. He was transferred home that same day.

On January 16, the appellate anti-corruption court announced that the decision of Judge Sargis Petrosyan, who had imposed house arrest on Samvel Karapetyan, was overturned. Vardevanyan later informed that the businessman's inpatient treatment had been interrupted, and he was transferred to the "Yerevan-Center" penitentiary facility. The anti-corruption court examined Karapetyan's measure of restraint until late last night and decided to impose house arrest.